Ecclesiastes 1:13 “And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under…”

Ecclesiastes 1:13

And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a miserable task God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

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.

World English Bible

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.

American Standard Version

And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

Geneva Bible 1599

And I haue giuen mine heart to search and finde out wisdome by all things that are done vnder the heauen: (this sore trauaile hath GOD giuen to the sonnes of men, to humble them thereby)

Darby Translation

And I applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this grievous occupation hath God given to the children of men to weary themselves therewith.

Young's Literal Translation

And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.

Bible in Basic English

And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.

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Cross references

“I gave”

1 Timothy 4:15 Ecclesiastes 1:17 Ecclesiastes 7:25 Ecclesiastes 8:9 Psalm 111:2 Proverbs 2:2–4

1 Timothy 4:15 · BSB

Be diligent in these matters and absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.

Ecclesiastes 1:17 · BSB

So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 7:25 · BSB

I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.

Ecclesiastes 8:9 · BSB

All this I have seen, applying my mind to every deed that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man lords it over another to his own detriment.

Psalm 111:2 · BSB

Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.

Proverbs 2:2–4 · BSB

if you incline your ear to wisdom and direct your heart to understanding,

“this sore”

Ecclesiastes 3:10 Genesis 3:19 Ecclesiastes 12:12 Ecclesiastes 4:4

Ecclesiastes 3:10 · BSB

I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them.

Genesis 3:19 · BSB

By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread, until you return to the ground— because out of it were you taken. For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

Ecclesiastes 12:12 · BSB

And by these, my son, be further warned: There is no end to the making of many books, and much study wearies the body.

Ecclesiastes 4:4 · BSB

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.

Also

Ecclesiastes 2:26 Ecclesiastes 2:23

Ecclesiastes 2:26 · BSB

To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile…

Ecclesiastes 2:23 · BSB

Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

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

14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

Read Ecclesiastes 1