Ecclesiastes 2:14

Bible in Basic English (1941)

The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the foolish man goes walking in the dark; but still I saw that the same event comes to them all.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Prov 17:24 : 24 Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.
  • Ps 49:10 : 10 For he sees that wise men come to their end, and foolish persons of low behaviour come to destruction together, letting their wealth go to others.
  • 1 John 2:11 : 11 But he who has hate for his brother is in the dark, walking in the dark with no knowledge of where he is going, unable to see because of the dark.
  • Eccl 3:19 : 19 Because the fate of the sons of men and the fate of the beasts is the same. As is the death of one so is the death of the other, and all have one spirit. Man is not higher than the beasts; because all is to no purpose.
  • Eccl 9:1-3 : 1 All 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. 2 Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it. 3 This 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 9:11 : 11 And again I saw under the sun that the reward goes not to him who is quick, or the fruits of war to the strong; and there is no bread for the wise, or wealth for men of learning, or respect for those who have knowledge; but time and chance come to all.
  • Eccl 9:16 : 16 Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is not respected, and his words are not given a hearing.
  • Eccl 10:2-3 : 2 The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong. 3 And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.
  • Eccl 6:6 : 6 And though he goes on living a thousand years twice over and does not see good, are not the two going to the same place?
  • Eccl 7:2 : 2 It is better to go to the house of weeping, than to go to the house of feasting; because that is the end of every man, and the living will take it to their hearts.
  • Eccl 8:1 : 1 Who is like the wise man? and to whom is the sense of anything clear? A man's wisdom makes his face shining, and his hard face will be changed.
  • Ps 19:10 : 10 More to be desired are they than gold, even than much shining gold; sweeter than the dropping honey.
  • Prov 14:8 : 8 The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 2:12-13
    2 verses
    86%

    12 And 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.

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

  • Eccl 2:15-16
    2 verses
    85%

    15 Then 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.

    16 Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!

  • Prov 17:24
    80%

    24 Wisdom is before the face of him who has sense; but the eyes of the foolish are on the ends of the earth.

  • Eccl 6:8-9
    2 verses
    79%

    8 What have the wise more than the foolish? and what has the poor man by walking wisely before the living?

    9 What the eyes see is better than the wandering of desire. This is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

  • Prov 14:8
    78%

    8 The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.

  • Eccl 10:2-3
    2 verses
    78%

    2 The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.

    3 And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.

  • Eccl 2:19
    77%

    19 And 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.

  • Prov 15:21
    76%

    21 Foolish behaviour is joy to the unwise; but a man of good sense makes his way straight.

  • Eccl 1:16-18
    3 verses
    76%

    16 I 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.

    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.

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

  • Eccl 7:4
    76%

    4 The hearts of the wise are in the house of weeping; but the hearts of the foolish are in the house of joy.

  • Prov 13:16
    76%

    16 A sharp man does everything with knowledge, but a foolish man makes clear his foolish thoughts.

  • Prov 14:33
    76%

    33 Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.

  • Prov 12:15
    76%

    15 The way of the foolish man seems right to him? but the wise man gives ear to suggestions.

  • Eccl 9:13
    76%

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

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    76%

    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.

  • Prov 14:24
    75%

    24 Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.

  • Ps 49:10
    75%

    10 For he sees that wise men come to their end, and foolish persons of low behaviour come to destruction together, letting their wealth go to others.

  • Eccl 7:25
    74%

    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 2:3
    74%

    3 I 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.

  • Eccl 9:3
    74%

    3 This 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.

  • Prov 29:11
    73%

    11 A foolish man lets out all his wrath, but a wise man keeps it back quietly.

  • Prov 14:16
    73%

    16 The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.

  • Eccl 9:1
    73%

    1 All 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 10:14-15
    2 verses
    73%

    14 The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?

    15 The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.

  • Eccl 11:8
    73%

    8 But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    73%

    13 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.

    14 I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.

  • Prov 26:12
    73%

    12 Have you seen a man who seems to himself to be wise? There is more hope for the foolish than for him.

  • Prov 27:12
    73%

    12 The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.

  • Prov 18:2
    73%

    2 A foolish man has no pleasure in good sense, but only to let what is in his heart come to light.

  • Eccl 8:14
    73%

    14 There is a thing which is to no purpose done on the earth: that there are good men to whom is given the same punishment as those who are evil, and there are evil men who get the reward of the good. I say that this again is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 7:15
    73%

    15 These two have I seen in my life which is to no purpose: a good man coming to his end in his righteousness, and an evil man whose days are long in his evil-doing.

  • Prov 10:23
    72%

    23 It is sport to the foolish man to do evil, but the man of good sense takes delight in wisdom.

  • Eccl 3:18
    72%

    18 I 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 8:1
    72%

    1 Who is like the wise man? and to whom is the sense of anything clear? A man's wisdom makes his face shining, and his hard face will be changed.

  • Prov 10:9
    72%

    9 He whose ways are upright will go safely, but he whose ways are twisted will be made low.

  • Eccl 9:16-17
    2 verses
    72%

    16 Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is not respected, and his words are not given a hearing.

    17 The words of the wise which come quietly to the ear are noted more than the cry of a ruler among the foolish.

  • Eccl 2:21
    72%

    21 Because 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.

  • Prov 28:11
    72%

    11 The man of wealth seems to himself to be wise, but the poor man who has sense has a low opinion of him.

  • Prov 22:3
    72%

    3 The sharp man sees the evil and takes cover: the simple go straight on and get into trouble.

  • Prov 13:20
    72%

    20 Go with wise men and be wise: but he who keeps company with the foolish will be broken.