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Ecclesiastes 8:17

I 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.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

KJV

Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

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Commentary

4 voices

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

31 tagged words
OriginalTransliterationMeaningWord study
וְרָאִיתִי֮ve.ra.'i.Tiand I sawH7200 →
אֶת־'et-<obj.>H853 →
כָּל־kol-allH3605 →
מַעֲשֵׂ֣הma.'a.Seh[the] work ofH4639 →
הָאֱלֹהִים֒ha.'E.lo.Him<the> GodH430 →
כִּי֩kithatH3588 →
לֹ֨אlo'notH3808 →
יוּכַ֜לyu.Khalhe is ableH3201 →
הָאָדָ֗םha.'a.Dam<the> humankindH120 →
לִמְצוֹא֙lim.tzO'to find outH4672 →
אֶת־'et-<obj.>H853 →
הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙ha.ma.'a.Sehthe workH4639 →
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834 →
נַעֲשָׂ֣הna.'a.Sahit is doneH6213 →
תַֽחַת־ta.chat-underH8478 →
הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁha.She.meshthe sunH8121 →
בְּ֠שֶׁלBe.shelin that <to>
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherthatH834 →
יַעֲמֹ֧לya.'a.Molhe toilsH5998 →
הָאָדָ֛םha.'a.Dam<the> humankindH120 →
לְבַקֵּ֖שׁle.va.Keshto seekH1245 →
וְלֹ֣אve.Lo'and notH3808 →
יִמְצָ֑אyim.Tza'he will find outH4672 →
וְגַ֨םve.Gamand alsoH1571 →
אִם־'im-ifH518 →
יֹאמַ֤רyo.Marhe will sayH559 →
הֶֽחָכָם֙he.cha.Khamthe wise [person]H2450 →
לָדַ֔עַתla.Da.'atto knowH3045 →
לֹ֥אlo'notH3808 →
יוּכַ֖לyu.Khalhe will be ableH3201 →
לִמְצֹֽא׃lim.Tzo'to find outH4672 →

The walk

Related verses

13 strongest cross-references

The gold bar shows how strongly the cross-reference sources tie the two verses together: a long bar means many compiled references make the connection, a short one means few.

Ecclesiastes 3:11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.Psalms 73:16When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sightRomans 11:33O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!Job 5:9the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.Isaiah 40:28Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.Ecclesiastes 7:23–24All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.Job 11:7–9Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?Proverbs 30:3–4I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.Psalms 40:5Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders You have done, and the plans You have for us— none can compare to You— if I proclaim and declare them, they are more than I can count.Ecclesiastes 11:5As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.Job 37:7He seals up the hand of every man, so that all men may know His work.Mark 4:27Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how.Psalms 104:24How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.

About Ecclesiastes

King Solomon in Old Age — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
King Solomon in Old Age — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain
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