Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
Expanded Bible
Does Wisdom Bring Happiness?
12 I, the ·Teacher [or Preacher; L Assembler; 1:1], ·was [or have been] king over Israel in Jerusalem [1:1]. 13 I ·decided [devoted myself] to use my wisdom to ·learn [explore] about everything that happens ·on earth [L under heaven; v. 3]. I learned that God has given ·us terrible things to face [or the human race an evil/unhappy task to keep us occupied]. 14 I ·looked at [observed] everything done ·on earth [L under the sun; v. 3] and saw that it is all useless [v. 2], like chasing the wind.
15 If something is ·crooked [bent],
you can’t make it straight.
If something is missing,
you can’t ·say it is there [L count it; C something is wrong with the world and it cannot be fixed].
16 I ·said to myself [L spoke with/to my heart], “I have ·become very wise and am now wiser than [surpassed in wisdom] anyone who ruled Jerusalem before me. I ·know what wisdom and knowledge really are [L have observed much wisdom and knowledge].” 17 So I ·decided to find out about [L gave my heart to understand] wisdom and knowledge and also ·about foolish thinking [madness and folly], but this turned out to be like chasing the wind.
18 With much wisdom comes much ·disappointment [frustration];
the person who gains more knowledge also gains more ·sorrow [pain].
Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
New American Standard Bible
The Futility of Wisdom
12 I, the (A)Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I (B)set my [a]mind to seek and (C)explore by wisdom about everything that has been done under heaven. It is a [b](D)sorry task with which God has given the sons of mankind to be troubled. 14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is (E)futility and striving after wind. 15 What is (F)crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I [c]said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased (G)wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my [d]mind has observed [e]a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I (H)applied my [f]mind to know wisdom and to (I)know insanity and foolishness; I realized that this also is (J)striving after wind. 18 Because (K)in much wisdom there is much grief; and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 1:13 Lit heart
- Ecclesiastes 1:13 Lit evil
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 Lit spoke with my heart, saying
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 Lit heart
- Ecclesiastes 1:16 Lit an abundance
- Ecclesiastes 1:17 Lit heart
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
