Ecclesiastes 1:13

Bible in Basic English (1941)

And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 3:10 : 10 I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.
  • Eccl 1:17 : 17 And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
  • Gen 3:19 : 19 With the hard work of your hands you will get your bread till you go back to the earth from which you were taken: for dust you are and to the dust you will go back.
  • Eccl 7:25 : 25 I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses.
  • Eccl 8:16-17 : 16 When I gave my mind to the knowledge of wisdom and to seeing the business which is done on the earth (and there are those whose eyes see not sleep by day or by night), 17 Then I saw all the work of God, and that man may not get knowledge of the work which is done under the sun; because, if a man gives hard work to the search he will not get knowledge, and even if the wise man seems to be coming to the end of his search, still he will be without knowledge.
  • Eccl 12:12 : 12 And further, my son, take note of this: of the making of books there is no end, and much learning is a weariness to the flesh.
  • 1 Tim 4:15 : 15 Have a care for these things; give yourself to them with all your heart, so that all may see how you go forward.
  • Eccl 8:9 : 9 All this have I seen, and have given my heart to all the work which is done under the sun: there is a time when man has power over man for his destruction.
  • Ps 111:2 : 2 The works of the Lord are great, searched out by all those who have delight in them.
  • Prov 2:2-4 : 2 So that your ear gives attention to wisdom, and your heart is turned to knowledge; 3 Truly, if you are crying out for good sense, and your request is for knowledge; 4 If you are looking for her as for silver, and searching for her as for stored-up wealth;
  • Prov 4:7 : 7 The first sign of wisdom is to get wisdom; go, give all you have to get true knowledge.
  • Prov 18:1 : 1 He who keeps himself separate for his private purpose goes against all good sense.
  • Prov 18:15 : 15 The heart of the man of good sense gets knowledge; the ear of the wise is searching for knowledge.
  • Prov 23:26 : 26 My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes take delight in my ways.
  • Eccl 2:23 : 23 All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.
  • Eccl 2:26 : 26 To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.
  • Eccl 4:4 : 4 And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for 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 which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.

    15That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.

    16I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem--yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.

    17And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.

    18Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.

  • Eccl 2:17-26
    10 verses
    84%

    17So I was hating life, because everything under the sun was evil to me: all is to no purpose and desire for wind.

    18Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.

    19And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.

    20So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.

    21Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.

    22What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun?

    23All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.

    24There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.

    25Who may take food or have pleasure without him?

    26To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

  • Eccl 2:9-13
    5 verses
    84%

    9And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.

    10And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; I did not keep any joy from my heart, because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward.

    11Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

    12And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.

    13Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways--as the light is better than the dark.

  • Eccl 7:25
    84%

    25I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses.

  • Eccl 3:9-12
    4 verses
    83%

    9What profit has the worker in the work which he does?

    10I saw the work which God has put on the sons of man.

    11He has made everything right in its time; but he has made their hearts without knowledge, so that man is unable to see the works of God, from the first to the last.

    12I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him.

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    82%

    16When I gave my mind to the knowledge of wisdom and to seeing the business which is done on the earth (and there are those whose eyes see not sleep by day or by night),

    17Then I saw all the work of God, and that man may not get knowledge of the work which is done under the sun; because, if a man gives hard work to the search he will not get knowledge, and even if the wise man seems to be coming to the end of his search, still he will be without knowledge.

  • Eccl 2:3-4
    2 verses
    82%

    3I made a search with my heart to give pleasure to my flesh with wine, still guiding my heart with wisdom, and to go after foolish things, so that I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.

    4I undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.

  • 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.

    2All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.

    3What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?

  • Eccl 9:13
    80%

    13This again I have seen under the sun as wisdom and it seemed great to me.

  • Eccl 2:15
    79%

    15Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 9:1
    79%

    1All this I took to heart, and my heart saw it all: that the upright and the wise and their works are in the hand of God; and men may not be certain if it will be love or hate; all is to no purpose before them.

  • Eccl 8:9
    79%

    9All this have I seen, and have given my heart to all the work which is done under the sun: there is a time when man has power over man for his destruction.

  • Eccl 2:1
    78%

    1I said in my heart, I will give you joy for a test; so take your pleasure--but it was to no purpose.

  • Eccl 4:4
    77%

    4And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

  • Eccl 3:18
    77%

    18I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, so that God may put them to the test and that they may see themselves as beasts.

  • Eccl 12:8
    77%

    8All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 4:7
    77%

    7Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.

  • Eccl 6:1
    76%

    1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard on men;

  • Eccl 7:23
    75%

    23All this I have put to the test by wisdom; I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.

  • Eccl 3:22
    75%

    22So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work--because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?

  • Eccl 9:3
    75%

    3This is evil in all things which are done under the sun: that there is one fate for all, and the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; while they have life their hearts are foolish, and after that--to the dead.

  • Eccl 7:27
    75%

    27Look! this I have seen, said the Preacher, taking one thing after another to get the true account,

  • Eccl 1:9
    75%

    9That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.

  • Eccl 6:11
    75%

    11There are words without number for increasing what is to no purpose, but what is man profited by them?

  • Eccl 9:10
    74%

    10Whatever comes to your hand to do with all your power, do it because there is no work, or thought, or knowledge, or wisdom in the place of the dead to which you are going.