Ecclesiastes 2:13

World English Bible (2000)

Then I saw that wisdom excels folly, as far as light excels darkness.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 7:11-12 : 11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun. 12 For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense; but the excellency of knowledge is that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
  • Matt 6:23 : 23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
  • Eph 5:8 : 8 For you were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord. Walk as children of light,
  • Luke 11:34-35 : 34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore when your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light; but when it is evil, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore see whether the light that is in you isn't darkness.
  • Eccl 7:19 : 19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city.
  • Eccl 9:16 : 16 Then I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
  • Eccl 9:18 : 18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner destroys much good.
  • Eccl 11:7 : 7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the sun.
  • Mal 3:18-4:2 : 18 Then you shall return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him who serves God and him who doesn't serve him. 1 "For, behold, the day comes, it burns as a furnace; and all the proud, and all who work wickedness, will be stubble; and the day that comes will burn them up," says Yahweh of Armies, "that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2 But to you who fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. You will go out, and leap like calves of the stall.
  • Ps 119:105 : 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.
  • Ps 119:130 : 130 The entrance of your words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.
  • Prov 4:5-7 : 5 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don't forget, neither swerve from the words of my mouth. 6 Don't forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you. 7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
  • Prov 4:18-19 : 18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day. 19 The way of the wicked is like darkness. They don't know what they stumble over.
  • Prov 16:16 : 16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 2:14-17
    4 verses
    86%

    14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness--and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.

    15 Then I said in my heart, "As it happens to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise?" Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.

    16 For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no memory for ever, since in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. Indeed, the wise man must die just like the fool!

    17 So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Eccl 2:11-12
    2 verses
    81%

    11 Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

    12 I turned myself to consider wisdom, madness, and folly: for what can the king's successor do? Just that which has been done long ago.

  • Eccl 1:16-18
    3 verses
    78%

    16 I said to myself, "Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."

    17 I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.

    18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

  • Eccl 9:13
    78%

    13 I have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.

  • Eccl 7:25
    76%

    25 I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    76%

    13 I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

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

  • Eccl 2:1-3
    3 verses
    75%

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

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

    3 I searched in my heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, my heart yet guiding me with wisdom, and how to lay hold of folly, until I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven all the days of their lives.

  • Eccl 7:11
    75%

    11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    75%

    16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night sees sleep with his eyes),

    17 then I saw all the work of God, that man can't find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won't find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won't be able to find it.

  • Eccl 2:19-21
    3 verses
    74%

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

    20 Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.

    21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

  • Eccl 2:9
    74%

    9 So I was great, and increased more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also remained with me.

  • Eccl 6:8-9
    2 verses
    74%

    8 For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

    9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Prov 15:21
    74%

    21 Folly is joy to one who is void of wisdom, but a man of understanding keeps his way straight.

  • Eccl 4:3
    73%

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

  • Prov 17:24
    73%

    24 Wisdom is before the face of one who has understanding, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.

  • Eccl 9:16-17
    2 verses
    73%

    16 Then I said, "Wisdom is better than strength." Nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.

    17 The words of the wise heard in quiet are better than the cry of him who rules among fools.

  • Prov 14:8
    72%

    8 The wisdom of the prudent is to think about his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.

  • Eccl 7:23
    72%

    23 All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.

  • Eccl 2:25-26
    2 verses
    72%

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

    26 For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Prov 14:33
    72%

    33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, and is even made known in the inward part of fools.

  • Eccl 3:16
    72%

    16 Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.

  • Job 31:26
    72%

    26 if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,

  • Eccl 11:7-8
    2 verses
    72%

    7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to see the sun.

    8 Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

  • Prov 14:24
    72%

    24 The crown of the wise is their riches, but the folly of fools crowns them with folly.

  • Eccl 4:7
    71%

    7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

  • Prov 8:11-12
    2 verses
    71%

    11 For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can't be compared to it.

    12 "I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.

  • Eccl 10:2-3
    2 verses
    71%

    2 A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left.

    3 Yes also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.

  • Eccl 4:13
    71%

    13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn't know how to receive admonition any more.

  • Eccl 7:4
    71%

    4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

  • Eccl 6:11
    71%

    11 For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

  • Prov 16:16
    71%

    16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

  • Job 29:3
    71%

    3 when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,