Ecclesiastes 8:17

King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

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.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 3:11 : 11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
  • Ps 73:16 : 16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
  • Rom 11:33 : 33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
  • Job 5:9 : 9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:
  • Eccl 7:23-24 : 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?
  • Eccl 11:5 : 5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
  • Isa 40:28 : 28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
  • Job 11:7-9 : 7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 8 It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? 9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
  • Ps 40:5 : 5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
  • Ps 104:24 : 24 O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
  • Prov 30:3-4 : 3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. 4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 8:14-16
    3 verses
    85%

    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.

    15 Then I commended mirth, bause a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

    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:)

  • Eccl 1:13-15
    3 verses
    82%

    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.

  • Eccl 2:10-12
    3 verses
    81%

    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.

  • Eccl 2:15-22
    8 verses
    81%

    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.

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

    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?

  • 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 6:11-12
    2 verses
    79%

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

    12 For 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?

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

  • 22 Wherefore 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 9:10-11
    2 verses
    78%

    10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

    11 I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

  • Eccl 3:10-12
    3 verses
    78%

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

    11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

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

  • Eccl 1:8-9
    2 verses
    78%

    8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

    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.

  • Eccl 7:24-25
    2 verses
    78%

    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:

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

  • 7 For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?

  • 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.

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

  • Job 28:12-13
    2 verses
    76%

    12 But where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?

    13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.

  • 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 4:7-8
    2 verses
    76%

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

    8 There is one alone, and there is not a sond; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

  • Eccl 2:24-26
    3 verses
    75%

    24 There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

    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.

  • 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 6:7-8
    2 verses
    75%

    7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

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

  • 8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

  • 13 Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

  • 27 Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

  • 14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.