Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. New Living Translation So I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly. But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind. English Standard Version And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. Berean Standard Bible So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind. King James Bible And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. New King James Version And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind. New American Standard Bible And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know insanity and foolishness; I realized that this also is striving after wind. NASB 1995 And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. NASB 1977 And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. Legacy Standard Bible And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and simpleminded folly; I came to know that this also is striving after wind. Amplified Bible And I set my mind to know [practical] wisdom and to discern [the character of] madness and folly [in which men seem to find satisfaction]; I realized that this too is a futile grasping and chasing after the wind. Christian Standard Bible I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly; I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind. Holman Christian Standard Bible I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly; I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind. American Standard Version And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind. Aramaic Bible in Plain English And I gave my heart to know wisdom and knowledge, proverbs and understanding, and I have known that this is also agitation of spirit Brenton Septuagint Translation And my heart knew much - wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit. Contemporary English Version Then I decided to find out all I could about wisdom and foolishness. Soon I realized that this too was as senseless as chasing the wind. Douay-Rheims Bible And I have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and vexation of spirit, English Revised Version And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind. GOD'S WORD® Translation I've used my mind to understand wisdom and knowledge as well as madness and stupidity. [Now] I know that this is [like] trying to catch the wind. Good News Translation I was determined to learn the difference between knowledge and foolishness, wisdom and madness. But I found out that I might as well be chasing the wind. International Standard Version So I dedicated myself to learn about wisdom and knowledge, and about insanity and foolishness. And I discovered that this is also like chasing after the wind. JPS Tanakh 1917 And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly--I perceived that this also was a striving after wind. Literal Standard Version And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] distress of spirit; Majority Standard Bible So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind. New American Bible yet when I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly, I learned that this also is a chase after wind. NET Bible 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! New Revised Standard Version And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind. New Heart English Bible I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind. Webster's Bible Translation And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. World English Bible I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind. Young's Literal Translation And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this is vexation of spirit; Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context With Wisdom Comes Sorrow…16I said to myself, “Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.” 17So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind. 18For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, and as knowledge grows, grief increases.… Cross References Ecclesiastes 1:13 And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them! Ecclesiastes 1:14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. Ecclesiastes 2:11 Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:12 Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king's successor do than what has already been accomplished? Ecclesiastes 2:17 So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:4 I saw that all labor and success spring from a man's envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. Ecclesiastes 4:6 Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind. Treasury of Scripture And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. i gave Ecclesiastes 1:13 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. Ecclesiastes 2:3,12 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life… Ecclesiastes 7:23-25 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me… i perceived Ecclesiastes 2:10,11 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… Jump to Previous Applied Chasing Folly Foolish Getting Heart Learned Madness Mind Perceived Realized Spirit Striving Understanding Vexation Ways Wind WisdomJump to Next Applied Chasing Folly Foolish Getting Heart Learned Madness Mind Perceived Realized Spirit Striving Understanding Vexation Ways Wind WisdomEcclesiastes 1 1. the preacher shows that all human courses are vain4. because the creatures are restless in their courses 9. they bring forth nothing new, and all old things are forgotten 12. and because he has found it so in the studies of wisdom (17) Madness and folly are words we should not expect to find in this context, and accordingly some interpreters have attempted by variations of reading to substitute for them words of the same nature as "wisdom and knowledge," but see Ecclesiastes 2:12; Ecclesiastes 7:25. Taking the text as it stands, it means to know wisdom and knowledge fully by a study of their contraries. The word for "madness" is peculiar to this book, but the corresponding verb occurs frequently in other books.Verse 17. - And I gave my heart. He reiterates the expression in order to emphasize his earnestness and energy in the pursuit of wisdom. And knowing, as St. Jerome says, that "contrariis contraria inteiliguntur," he studies the opposite of wisdom, and learns the truth by contrasting it with error. And to know madness and folly (Ecclesiastes 2:12). The former word, holeloth (intensive plural), by its etymology points to a confusion of thought, i.e. an unwisdom which deranges all ideas of order and propriety; and folly (hero sikluth), throughout the sapiential books, is identified with vice and wickedness, the contradictory of practical godliness. The LXX. has παραβολὰς καὶ ἐπιστήμην, "parables and knowledge," and some editors have altered the Hebrew text in accordance with this version, which they consider more suitable to the context. But Koheleth's standpoint is quite consistent. To use the words of St. Jerome in his 'Commentary,' "AEqualis studii fuit Salomoni, scire sapientiam et scientiam, et e regione errores et stultitiam, ut in aliis appetendis et aliis declinandis vera ejus sapientia probaretur." On the other hand, Den-Sirs gives a much-needed warning against touching pitch (Ecclus. 13:1), and argues expressly that "the knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom" (Ecclus. 19:22). Plumptre unnecessarily sees in the use of the term" madness 'an echo of the teaching of the Stoics, who regarded men's weaknesses as forms of insanity. The moralist had no need to travel beyond his own experience in order to learn that sin was the acme of unwisdom, a declension from reason which might well be called madness. The subject is handled by Cicero, 'Tusc. Disput.,' 3:4, 5. We are reminded of Horace's expression ('Carm.,' 2:7. 27) - "Recepto Dulce mihi furere est amico." And Anacreon's (31.), Θέλω θέλω μανῆναι. Thus far we have had Koheleth's secret thoughts - what he communed with his own heart (ver. 16). The result of his studies was most unsatisfying I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit; or, a striving after wind, as ver. 14 Though the word is somewhat different. As such labor is wasted, for man cannot control issues. Hebrew So I setוָאֶתְּנָ֤ה (wā·’et·tə·nāh) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular Strong's 5414: To give, put, set my mind לִבִּי֙ (lib·bî) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 3820: The heart, the feelings, the will, the intellect, centre to know לָדַ֣עַת (lā·ḏa·‘aṯ) Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 3045: To know wisdom חָכְמָ֔ה (ḥāḵ·māh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 2451: Wisdom [and] וְדַ֥עַת (wə·ḏa·‘aṯ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 3045: To know madness הוֹלֵל֖וֹת (hō·w·lê·lō·wṯ) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 1947: Madness and folly; וְשִׂכְל֑וּת (wə·śiḵ·lūṯ) Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 5531: Silliness I learned יָדַ֕עְתִּי (yā·ḏa‘·tî) Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Strong's 3045: To know that זֶ֥ה (zeh) Pronoun - masculine singular Strong's 2088: This, that this, ה֖וּא (hū) Pronoun - third person masculine singular Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are too, שֶׁגַּם־ (šeg·gam-) Pronoun - relative | Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and is a pursuit רַעְי֥וֹן (ra‘·yō·wn) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 7475: Longing, striving of the wind. רֽוּחַ׃ (rū·aḥ) Noun - common singular Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit Links Ecclesiastes 1:17 NIVEcclesiastes 1:17 NLT Ecclesiastes 1:17 ESV Ecclesiastes 1:17 NASB Ecclesiastes 1:17 KJV Ecclesiastes 1:17 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 1:17 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 1:17 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 1:17 French Bible Ecclesiastes 1:17 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 1:17 I applied my heart to know wisdom (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) |
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