Ecclesiastes 2:12

Authorized King James Version (1611)

¶ 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.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 1:17 : 17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
  • Eccl 7:25 : 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 1:9-9 : 9 ¶ The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun. 10 Is there [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 2:9-11
    3 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.

  • Eccl 2:13-22
    10 verses
    82%

    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.

    18Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.

    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 1:9-17
    9 verses
    81%

    9¶ The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun.

    10Is there [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

    11[There is] no remembrance of former [things]; neither shall there be [any] remembrance of [things] that are to come with [those] that shall come after.

    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.

    17And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 2:1-4
    4 verses
    79%

    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 7:25
    77%

    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 4:7
    77%

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

  • Eccl 3:15
    77%

    15That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    77%

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

    12For who knoweth what [is] good for man in [this] life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

  • Eccl 3:22
    77%

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

  • Eccl 4:15-16
    2 verses
    77%

    15I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead.

    16[There is] no end of all the people, [even] of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 1:2-3
    2 verses
    76%

    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 8:16-17
    2 verses
    76%

    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 9:13
    76%

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

  • Eccl 2:25
    76%

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

  • Eccl 12:8
    76%

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

  • 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 8:9-10
    2 verses
    75%

    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.

    10And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city where they had so done: this [is] also vanity.

  • Eccl 4:3-4
    2 verses
    75%

    3Yea, better [is he] than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

    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 9:1
    73%

    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 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 8:14
    73%

    14¶ There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just [men], unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked [men], to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also [is] vanity.