Ecclesiastes 8:16 “When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the task that one…”

Ecclesiastes 8:16

When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the task that one performs on the earth—though his eyes do not see sleep in the day or even in the night—

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)

World English Bible

When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (even though eyes see no sleep day or night),

American Standard Version

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

Geneva Bible 1599

When I applied mine heart to knowe wisedome, and to behold the busines that is done on earth, that neither day nor night the eyes of man take sleepe,

Darby Translation

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

Young's Literal Translation

When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that hath been done on the earth, (for there is also a spectator in whose eyes sleep is not by day and by night),

Bible in Basic English

When I gave my mind to the knowledge of wisdom and to seeing the business which is done on the earth (and there are those whose eyes see not sleep by day or by night),

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Cross references

“When I”

Ecclesiastes 8:9 Ecclesiastes 8:7 Ecclesiastes 7:25

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.

Ecclesiastes 8:7 · BSB

Since no one knows what will happen, who can tell him what is to come?

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.

“there is that”

Ecclesiastes 2:23 Psalm 127:2 Ecclesiastes 4:8 Ecclesiastes 5:12 Genesis 31:40

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.

Psalm 127:2 · BSB

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat— for He gives sleep to His beloved.

Ecclesiastes 4:8 · BSB

There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—…

Ecclesiastes 5:12 · BSB

The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.

Genesis 31:40 · BSB

As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.

Also

Ecclesiastes 1:13

Ecclesiastes 1:13 · BSB

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!

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

In context

15So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.

17I saw every work of God, and that a man is unable to comprehend the work that is done under the sun. Despite his efforts to search it out, he cannot find its meaning; even if the wise man claims to know, he is unable to comprehend.

Read Ecclesiastes 8