Ecclesiastes 2:12

KJV1611 – Modern English

I turned to consider wisdom, madness, and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done.

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Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 1:17 : 17 And I set my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is a striving after wind.
  • Eccl 7:25 : 25 I applied my heart to know, to search, and to seek out wisdom and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even foolishness and madness.
  • Eccl 1:9-9 : 9 The thing that has 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 anything of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has already been in ancient times, which were 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 became great and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also, my wisdom remained with me.

    10And whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; and this was my reward from all my labor.

    11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor I had toiled 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 excels folly just as light excels darkness.

    14The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I myself perceived that the same event happens to them all.

    15So I said in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so it happens even to me. And why was I then more wise?" Then I said in my heart, "This also is vanity."

    16For there is no more remembrance of the wise than of the fool forever, since what now is will all be forgotten in the days to come. And how does the wise man die? Just like the fool.

    17Therefore I hated life, because the work that was done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

    18Yes, I hated all my labor that I had labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

    19And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I have labored and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

    20Therefore I turned my heart to despair over all the labor which I had done under the sun.

    21For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet he must leave his inheritance to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

    22For what has man from all his labor, and of the striving of his heart with which he has labored under the sun?

  • Eccl 1:9-17
    9 verses
    81%

    9The thing that has 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 anything of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has already been in ancient times, which were before us.

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

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

    13And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this difficult task God has given to the children of man to be engaged with.

    14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

    15That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is lacking cannot be counted.

    16I communed with my own heart, saying, Look, I have attained great stature, and gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem: yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

    17And I set my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is a striving after wind.

  • Eccl 2:1-4
    4 verses
    79%

    1I said in my heart, "Come now, I will test you with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure." And behold, this also is vanity.

    2I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of mirth, "What does it accomplish?"

    3I searched in my heart to give myself to wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what is good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.

    4I made great works; I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.

  • Eccl 7:25
    77%

    25I applied my heart to know, to search, and to seek out wisdom and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even foolishness and madness.

  • Eccl 4:7
    77%

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

  • Eccl 3:15
    77%

    15That which is, has already been; and that which is to be, has already been; and God requires an account of the past.

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    77%

    11Since there are many things that increase vanity, what advantage does man have?

    12For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

  • Eccl 3:22
    77%

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

  • Eccl 4:15-16
    2 verses
    77%

    15I considered all the living who walk under the sun, with the second child who shall stand up in his place.

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

  • Eccl 1:2-3
    2 verses
    76%

    2Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

    3What profit does a man have from all his labor which he does under the sun?

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    76%

    16When I applied my heart to know wisdom and to see the work that is done upon the earth (for there are those who neither day nor night see sleep with their eyes),

    17Then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. Even though a man labors to seek it out, he shall not find it; moreover, though a wise man thinks to know it, he shall not be able to find it.

  • Eccl 9:13
    76%

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

  • Eccl 2:25
    76%

    25For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?

  • Eccl 12:8
    76%

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

  • Eccl 6:8-9
    2 verses
    76%

    8For what has the wise more than the fool? what does the poor have, who knows to walk before the living?

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

  • Eccl 8:9-10
    2 verses
    75%

    9All this I have seen, and applied my heart to every work that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man rules over another to his own harm.

    10Then 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 done so. This also is vanity.

  • Eccl 4:3-4
    2 verses
    75%

    3Yes, better is he than both, who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

    4Again, I considered all the toil and every right work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Eccl 9:1
    73%

    1For 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 one knows 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 to all: yes, 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%

    14There is a vanity which is done upon the earth: there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.