Ecclesiastes 1:17

King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

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

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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; bause 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: bause 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 dlare 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?