Ecclesiastes 1:17

Authorized King James Version (1611)

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 2:3 : 3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what [was] that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
  • Eccl 2:10-12 : 10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all [was] vanity and vexation of spirit, and [there was] no profit under the sun. 12 ¶ And 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 already done.
  • 1 Thess 5:21 : 21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
  • Eccl 1:13-14 : 13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all [things] that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
  • Eccl 7:23-25 : 23 ¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me. 24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25 I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and] madness:

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 7:23-25
    3 verses
    88%

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

    24That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

    25I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason [of things], and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness [and] madness:

  • Eccl 1:12-16
    5 verses
    88%

    12¶ I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

    13And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all [things] that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

    14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

    15[That which is] crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

    16I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all [they] that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

  • Eccl 1:18
    85%

    18For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

  • Eccl 2:9-17
    9 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 in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

    11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all [was] vanity and vexation of spirit, and [there was] no profit under the sun.

    12¶ And 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 already done.

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

    14The wise man's eyes [are] in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

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

    16For [there is] no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now [is] in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise [man]? as the fool.

    17¶ Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun [is] grievous unto me: for all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 2:1-4
    4 verses
    83%

    1¶ I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also [is] vanity.

    2I said of laughter, [It is] mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

    3I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what [was] that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

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

  • Eccl 2:19-22
    4 verses
    82%

    19And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise [man] or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This [is] also vanity.

    20Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun.

    21For there is a man whose labour [is] in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it [for] his portion. This also [is] vanity and a great evil.

    22For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    80%

    16When I applied mine 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 a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek [it] out, yet he shall not find [it]; yea further; though a wise [man] think to know [it], yet shall he not be able to find [it].

  • Eccl 1:2-3
    2 verses
    78%

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

    3What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

  • Eccl 2:25-26
    2 verses
    77%

    25For who can eat, or who else can hasten [hereunto], more than I?

    26For [God] giveth to a man that [is] good in his sight 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 is] good before God. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 9:13
    77%

    13¶ This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it [seemed] great unto me:

  • Eccl 4:4
    76%

    4¶ Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 6:8-9
    2 verses
    76%

    8For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

    9Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 4:7
    76%

    7¶ Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

  • Eccl 12:8
    76%

    8¶ Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all [is] vanity.

  • Eccl 9:1
    76%

    1¶ For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, [are] in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred [by] all [that is] before them.

  • Eccl 7:4
    75%

    4The heart of the wise [is] in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools [is] in the house of mirth.

  • Eccl 3:18
    75%

    18I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

  • Ps 73:16
    75%

    16When I thought to know this, it [was] too painful for me;

  • Prov 1:2
    75%

    2To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

  • Prov 19:3
    75%

    3¶ The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.

  • Prov 18:2
    74%

    2¶ A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

  • Eccl 3:12
    74%

    12I know that [there is] no good in them, but for [a man] to rejoice, and to do good in his life.

  • Eccl 8:9
    73%

    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 ruleth over another to his own hurt.

  • Eccl 3:10
    73%

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

  • Eccl 9:3
    73%

    3This [is] an evil among all [things] that are 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 6:11
    73%

    11¶ Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what [is] man the better?