Ecclesiastes 8:17

World English Bible (2000)

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.

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Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 3:11 : 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can't find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
  • Ps 73:16 : 16 When I tried to understand this, it was too painful for me;
  • Rom 11:33 : 33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
  • Job 5:9 : 9 who does great things that can't be fathomed, marvelous things without number;
  • Eccl 7:23-24 : 23 All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me. 24 That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
  • Eccl 11:5 : 5 As you don't know what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child; even so you don't know the work of God who does all.
  • Isa 40:28 : 28 Haven't you known? Haven't you heard? The everlasting God, Yahweh, The Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn't faint. He isn't weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
  • Job 11:7-9 : 7 "Can you fathom the mystery of God? Or can you probe the limits of the Almighty? 8 They are high as heaven. What can you do? They are deeper than Sheol. What can you know? 9 Its measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.
  • Ps 40:5 : 5 Many, Yahweh, my God, are the wonderful works which you have done, and your thoughts which are toward us. They can't be declared back to you. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
  • Ps 104:24 : 24 Yahweh, how many are your works! In wisdom have you made them all. The earth is full of your riches.
  • Prov 30:3-4 : 3 I have not learned wisdom, neither do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. 4 Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has bound the waters in his garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you know?

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 on the earth, that there are righteous 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.

    15 Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

    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),

  • Eccl 1:13-15
    3 verses
    82%

    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.

    15 That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be counted.

  • Eccl 2:10-12
    3 verses
    81%

    10 Whatever my eyes desired, I didn't keep from them. I didn't withhold my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor, and this was my portion from all my labor.

    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 2:15-22
    8 verses
    81%

    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.

    18 I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

    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.

    22 For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?

  • 1 For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn't know it; all is before them.

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    79%

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

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

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

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

  • Eccl 9:10-11
    2 verses
    78%

    10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.

    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 favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.

  • Eccl 3:10-12
    3 verses
    78%

    10 I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

    11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can't find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.

    12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.

  • Eccl 1:8-9
    2 verses
    78%

    8 All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

    9 That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been 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, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?

    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.

  • 3 What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

  • 7 For he doesn't know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?

  • 4 Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

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

  • Job 28:12-13
    2 verses
    76%

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

    13 Man doesn't know its price; Neither is it found in the land of the living.

  • 9 All this have I seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.

  • Eccl 4:7-8
    2 verses
    76%

    7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

    8 There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. "For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?" This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

  • Eccl 2:24-26
    3 verses
    75%

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

    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.

  • 16 There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was--yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Eccl 6:7-8
    2 verses
    75%

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

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

  • 8 "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher. "All is vanity!"

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

  • 27 "Behold, I have found this," says the Preacher, "one to another, to find out the scheme;

  • 14 I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.