Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Futility of Seeking Wisdom
12 I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to humans to be busy with.(A) 14 I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun, and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.(B)
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be counted.(C)
16 I said to myself, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”(D) 17 And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind.(E)
18 For in much wisdom is much vexation,
and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.(F)
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
Revised Standard Version
The Futility of Seeking Wisdom
12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.[a]
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be numbered.
16 I said to myself, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much vexation,
and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 1:14 Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
New International Version
Wisdom Is Meaningless
12 I, the Teacher,(A) was king over Israel in Jerusalem.(B) 13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens.(C) What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!(D) 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(E)
15 What is crooked cannot be straightened;(F)
what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me;(G) I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom,(H) and also of madness and folly,(I) but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
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