Ecclesiastes 1:13

American Standard Version (1901)

And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 3:10 : 10 I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
  • Eccl 1:17 : 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.
  • Gen 3:19 : 19 in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
  • Eccl 7:25 : 25 I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
  • Eccl 8:16-17 : 16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes), [ 17 then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
  • Eccl 12:12 : 12 And furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
  • 1 Tim 4:15 : 15 Be diligent in these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy progress may be manifest unto all.
  • Eccl 8:9 : 9 All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: [there is] a time wherein one man hath power over another to his hurt.
  • Ps 111:2 : 2 The works of Jehovah are great, Sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
  • Prov 2:2-4 : 2 So as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, And apply thy heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou cry after discernment, And lift up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seek her as silver, And search for her as for hid treasures:
  • Prov 4:7 : 7 Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [Therefore] get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding.
  • Prov 18:1 : 1 He that separateth himself seeketh [his own] desire, And rageth against all sound wisdom.
  • Prov 18:15 : 15 The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; And the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.
  • Prov 23:26 : 26 My son, give me thy heart; And let thine eyes delight in my ways.
  • Eccl 2:23 : 23 For all his days are [but] sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
  • Eccl 2:26 : 26 For to the man that pleaseth him [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
  • Eccl 4:4 : 4 Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 1:14-18
    5 verses
    88%

    14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

    15That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

    16I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

    17And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.

    18For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

  • Eccl 2:17-26
    10 verses
    84%

    17So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

    18And I hated all my labor wherein I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

    19And who knoweth whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have rule over all my labor wherein I have labored, and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

    20Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor wherein I had labored under the sun.

    21For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.

    22For what hath a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboreth under the sun?

    23For all his days are [but] sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.

    24There is nothing better for a man [than] that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

    25For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?

    26For to the man that pleaseth him [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

  • Eccl 2:9-13
    5 verses
    84%

    9So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

    10And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.

    11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do; and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

    12And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what [can] the man [do] that cometh after the king? [even] that which hath been done long ago.

    13Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.

  • Eccl 7:25
    84%

    25I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

  • Eccl 3:9-12
    4 verses
    83%

    9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboreth?

    10I have seen the travail which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

    11He hath made everything beautiful in its time: also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.

    12I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good so long as they live.

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    82%

    16When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes), [

    17then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

  • Eccl 2:3-4
    2 verses
    82%

    3I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding [me] with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their life.

    4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;

  • Eccl 1:12
    81%

    12I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

  • Eccl 1:1-3
    3 verses
    80%

    1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

    2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

    3What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?

  • Eccl 9:13
    80%

    13I have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:

  • Eccl 2:15
    79%

    15Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity.

  • Eccl 9:1
    79%

    1For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it be love or hatred, man knoweth it not; all is before them.

  • Eccl 8:9
    79%

    9All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: [there is] a time wherein one man hath power over another to his hurt.

  • Eccl 2:1
    78%

    1I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.

  • Eccl 4:4
    77%

    4Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

  • Eccl 3:18
    77%

    18I said in my heart, [It is] because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are [but as] beasts.

  • Eccl 12:8
    77%

    8Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity.

  • Eccl 4:7
    77%

    7Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

  • Eccl 6:1
    76%

    1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:

  • Eccl 7:23
    75%

    23All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

  • Eccl 3:22
    75%

    22Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him [back] to see what shall be after him?

  • Eccl 9:3
    75%

    3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that [they go] to the dead.

  • Eccl 7:27
    75%

    27Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account;

  • Eccl 1:9
    75%

    9That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

  • Eccl 6:11
    75%

    11Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

  • Eccl 9:10
    74%

    10Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, whither thou goest.