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.

    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:

  • Eccl 1:12-16
    5 verses
    88%

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

    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.

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

    16 I 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%

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

  • Eccl 2:9-17
    9 verses
    84%

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

    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.

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

    14 The 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.

    15 Then 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.

    16 For [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.

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

    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.

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

  • Eccl 2:19-22
    4 verses
    82%

    19 And 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.

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

    21 For 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.

    22 For 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%

    16 When 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:)

    17 Then 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%

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

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

  • Eccl 2:25-26
    2 verses
    77%

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

    26 For [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%

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

    9 Better [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%

    4 The 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%

    18 I 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%

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

  • Prov 1:2
    75%

    2 To 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%

    12 I 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%

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

  • Eccl 9:3
    73%

    3 This [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?