Ecclesiastes 9:13
Most People Are Not Receptive to Wise Counsel This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:
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Referenced Verses
- Eccl 6:1 : 1 Not Everyone Enjoys Life Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:
- Eccl 7:15 : 15 Exceptions to the Law of Retribution During the days of my fleeting life I have seen both of these things: Sometimes a righteous person dies prematurely in spite of his righteousness, and sometimes a wicked person lives long in spite of his evil deeds.
- Eccl 8:16 : 16 Limitations of Human Wisdom When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth– even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night–
- Eccl 9:11 : 11 Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events Again, I observed this on the earth: the race is not always won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest, wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge– for time and chance may overcome them all.
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- Eccl 1:12-143 verses80%
12 Futility of Secular Accomplishment I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied.
14 I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile– like chasing the wind!
- Eccl 8:9-102 verses79%
9 While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.
10 Contradictions to the Law of Retribution Not only that, but I have seen the wicked approaching and entering the temple, and as they left the holy temple, they boasted in the city that they had done so. This also is an enigma.
- Eccl 9:14-163 verses79%
14 There was once a small city with a few men in it, and a mighty king attacked it, besieging it and building strong siege works against it.
15 However, a poor but wise man lived in the city, and he could have delivered the city by his wisdom, but no one listened to that poor man.
16 So I concluded that wisdom is better than might, but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.
- Eccl 2:11-177 verses78%
11 Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded:“All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless– like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”
12 Wisdom is Better than Folly Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king has already done?
13 I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, just as light is preferable to darkness:
14 The wise man can see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate happens to them both.
15 So I thought to myself,“The fate of the fool will happen even to me! Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively wise?” So I lamented to myself,“The benefits of wisdom are ultimately meaningless!”
16 For the wise man, like the fool, will not be remembered for very long, because in the days to come, both will already have been forgotten. Alas, the wise man dies– just like the fool!
17 So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile– like chasing the wind.
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9 So I was far wealthier than all my predecessors in Jerusalem, yet I maintained my objectivity:
- Eccl 1:16-183 verses77%
16 Futility of Secular Wisdom I thought to myself,“I have become much wiser than any of my predecessors who ruled over Jerusalem; I have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.”
17 So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!
18 For with great wisdom comes great frustration; whoever increases his knowledge merely increases his heartache.
- Eccl 8:16-172 verses76%
16 Limitations of Human Wisdom When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth– even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night–
17 then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.
- 76%
1 Everyone Will Die So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated– no one knows what lies ahead.
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1 Not Everyone Enjoys Life Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:
- Eccl 2:19-213 verses76%
19 Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so wisely on earth! This also is futile!
20 So I began to despair about all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so hard on earth.
21 For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!
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11 Wisdom Can Lengthen One’s Life Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing; it benefits those who see the light of day.
- Eccl 9:11-122 verses75%
11 Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events Again, I observed this on the earth: the race is not always won by the swiftest, the battle is not always won by the strongest; prosperity does not always belong to those who are the wisest, wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning, nor does success always come to those with the most knowledge– for time and chance may overcome them all.
12 Surely, no one knows his appointed time! Like fish that are caught in a deadly net, and like birds that are caught in a snare– just like them, all people are ensnared at an unfortunate time that falls upon them suddenly.
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16 The Problem of Injustice and Oppression I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.
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7 Labor Motivated by Greed So I again considered another futile thing on earth:
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10 I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied.
- 74%
19 Wisdom Needed Because No One is Truly Righteous Wisdom gives a wise person more protection than ten rulers in a city.
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9 What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.
- 74%
23 Human Wisdom is Limited I have examined all this by wisdom; I said,“I am determined to comprehend this”– but it was beyond my grasp.
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1 Job Pleads His Cause to God“Indeed, my eyes have seen all this, my ears have heard and understood it.
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3 I thought deeply about the effects of indulging myself with wine(all the while my mind was guiding me with wisdom) and the effects of behaving foolishly, so that I might discover what is profitable for people to do on earth during the few days of their lives.
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25 True Righteousness and Wisdom Are Virtually Nonexistent I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly.
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3 But better than both is the one who has not been born and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth.
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3 This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives– then they die.
- 73%
15 I considered all the living who walk on earth, as well as the successor who would arise in his place.
- Eccl 6:11-122 verses73%
11 The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him?
12 For no one knows what is best for a person during his life– during the few days of his fleeting life– for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.
- 72%
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.
- 72%
9 It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile– like chasing the wind.
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18 I also thought to myself,“It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly show them that they are like animals.
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5 I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes.
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12 “I, wisdom, have dwelt with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
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26 if I looked at the sun when it was shining, and the moon advancing as a precious thing,
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15 Exceptions to the Law of Retribution During the days of my fleeting life I have seen both of these things: Sometimes a righteous person dies prematurely in spite of his righteousness, and sometimes a wicked person lives long in spite of his evil deeds.