Ecclesiastes 2:14 “The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet…”

Ecclesiastes 2:14

The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

World English Bible

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.

American Standard Version

The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.

Geneva Bible 1599

For the wise mans eyes are in his head, but the foole walketh in darknes: yet I know also that the same condition falleth to them all.

Darby Translation

The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.

Young's Literal Translation

The wise! — his eyes [are] in his head, and the fool in darkness is walking, and I also knew that one event happeneth with them all;

Bible in Basic English

The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the foolish man goes walking in the dark; but still I saw that the same event comes to them all.

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Cross references

“wise”

Proverbs 17:24 1 John 2:11 Ecclesiastes 8:1 Proverbs 14:8 Ecclesiastes 10:2 Ecclesiastes 10:3

Proverbs 17:24 · BSB

Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth.

1 John 2:11 · BSB

But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Ecclesiastes 8:1 · BSB

Who is like the wise man? Who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom brightens his face, and the sternness of his face is changed.

Proverbs 14:8 · BSB

The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceives them.

Ecclesiastes 10:2 · BSB

A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.

Ecclesiastes 10:3 · BSB

Even as the fool walks along the road, his sense is lacking, and he shows everyone that he is a fool.

“one”

Psalm 49:10 Ecclesiastes 9:11 Ecclesiastes 9:1–3 Ecclesiastes 9:16 Psalm 19:10

Psalm 49:10 · BSB

For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 · BSB

I saw something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; neither is the bread to the wise, nor the wealth to the intelligent, nor the favor to the skillful. For time and chance happ…

Ecclesiastes 9:1–3 · BSB

So I took all this to heart and concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their deeds, are in God’s hands. Man does not know what lies ahead, whether love or hate.

Ecclesiastes 9:16 · BSB

And I said, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the wisdom of the poor man is despised, and his words are not heeded.”

Psalm 19:10 · BSB

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.

Also

Ecclesiastes 3:19 Ecclesiastes 6:6 Ecclesiastes 7:2

Ecclesiastes 3:19 · BSB

For the fates of both men and beasts are the same: As one dies, so dies the other—they all have the same breath. Man has no advantage over the animals, since everything is futile.

Ecclesiastes 6:6 · BSB

even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

Ecclesiastes 7:2 · BSB

It is better to enter a house of mourning than a house of feasting, since death is the end of every man, and the living should take this to heart.

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

In context

13And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:

15So I said to myself, “The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?” And I said to myself that this too is futile.

Read Ecclesiastes 2