Ecclesiastes 1:17

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.

Parallel Translations

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.

Hebrew Names Version
I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.

King James Version
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

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.

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.

New Century Version
So I decided to find out about wisdom and knowledge and also about foolish thinking, but this turned out to be like chasing the 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.

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.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And I gaue mine heart to knowe wisdome and knowledge, madnes and foolishnes: I knew also that this is a vexation of the spirit.

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.

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.

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.

Complete Jewish Bible
yet when I applied myself to understanding wisdom and knowledge, as well as stupidity and folly, I came to see that this too was merely feeding on wind.

Darby Translation
And I applied my heart to the knowledge of wisdom, and to the knowledge of madness and folly: I perceived that this also is a striving after the wind.

Easy-to-Read Version
I decided to learn how wisdom and knowledge are better than thinking foolish thoughts. But I learned that trying to become wise is like trying to catch the wind.

George Lamsa Translation
And I gave my heart to know wisdom and proverbs and understanding; but I have perceived that this also is vexation of spirit

Lexham English Bible
So I dedicated myself to learn about wisdom and to learn about delusion and folly. However, I discovered that this also is chasing wind.

Literal Translation
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness, and folly. I know that this also, it is striving after wind.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for there vnto I applyed my mynde: yt I might knowe what were wy?dome & vnderstodinge, what were error & foolishnes. And I perceaued yt this also was but a vexacion of mynde:

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.

Bible in Basic English
And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.

JPS Old Testament (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.

King James Version (1611)
And I gaue my heart to know wisedome, and to know madnesse and folly: I perceiued that this also is vexation of spirit.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Yea, my heart had great experience of wisdome & knowledge: for thervnto I applied my mynde, that I myght knowe what were wisdome and vnderstandyng, what were errour and foolishnesse: and I perceaued that this was also but a vexation of mynde.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness 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.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y yaf myn herte, that Y schulde knowe prudence and doctryn, and errours and foli. And Y knew that in these thingis also was trauel and turment of spirit;

Update Bible 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.

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.

New English Translation
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 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 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.

New Life Bible
And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know what is crazy and foolish. I saw that this also is like trying to catch the wind.

New Revised Standard
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.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
yea I have given my heart, to know wisdom, and to know madness, and folly, - I know that, even this, is a feeding on 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,

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 striving 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;

New American Standard Bible (1995)
And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind.

Contextual Overview

¹² I, the Philosopher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³ I determined that I would examine and study all the things that are done in this world. God has laid a miserable fate upon us. ¹⁴ I have seen everything done in this world, and I tell you, it is all useless. It is like chasing the wind. ¹⁵ You can't straighten out what is crooked; you can't count things that aren't there. ¹⁶ I told myself, "I have become a great man, far wiser than anyone who ruled Jerusalem before me. I know what wisdom and knowledge really are." ¹⁷ 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. ¹⁸ The wiser you are, the more worries you have; the more you know, the more it hurts.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

I gave: Ecclesiastes 1:13, Ecclesiastes 2:3, Ecclesiastes 2:12, Ecclesiastes 7:23-25, 1 Thessalonians 5:21

I perceived: Ecclesiastes 2:10, Ecclesiastes 2:11

Reciprocal: Ecclesiastes 1:14 - General Ecclesiastes 5:10 - this Ecclesiastes 6:11 - General Ecclesiastes 9:1 - considered in my heart Ecclesiastes 9:3 - and madness

Cross-References

Genesis 9:13
I am putting my bow in the clouds. It will be the sign of my covenant with the world.

Job 38:12
Job, have you ever in all your life commanded a day to dawn?

Psalms 8:1
O Lord , our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world! Your praise reaches up to the heavens;

Psalms 8:3
When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places—

Acts 13:47
For this is the commandment that the Lord has given us: ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, so that all the world may be saved.'"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I gave my heart to know wisdom,.... Which is repeated, for the confirmation of it, from Ecclesiastes 1:13, and that it might be taken notice of how assiduous and diligent he had been in acquiring it; a circumstance not to be overlooked;

and to know madness and folly: that he might the better know wisdom, and learn the difference between the one and the other, since opposites illustrate each other; and that he might shun madness and folly, and the ways thereof, and expose the actions of mad and foolish men: so Plato s says, ignorance is a disease, of which there are two kinds, madness and folly. The Targum, Septuagint, and all the Oriental versions, interpret the last word, translated "folly", by understanding, knowledge, and prudence; which seems to be right, since Solomon speaks of nothing afterwards, as vexation and grief to him, but wisdom and knowledge: and I would therefore read the clause in connection with the preceding, thus, "and the knowledge of things boasted of", vain glorious knowledge; "and prudence", or what may be called craftiness and cunning; or what the apostle calls "science falsely so called", 1 Timothy 6:20; see Proverbs 12:8;

I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit;

Proverbs 12:8- :; the reason follows.

s In Timaeo, p. 1084.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

To know madness and folly - A knowledge of folly would help him to discern wisdom, and to exercise that chief function of practical wisdom - to avoid folly.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. To know madness and folly — הוללות ושכלות holloth vesichluth. Παραβολας και επιστημην, "Parables and science." - Septuagint. So the Syriac; nearly so the Arabic.

"What were error and foolishness." - Coverdale. Perhaps gayety and sobriety may be the better meaning for these two difficult words. I can scarcely think they are taken in that bad sense in which our translation exhibits them. "I tried pleasure in all its forms; and sobriety and self-abnegation to their utmost extent." Choheleth paraphrases, "Even fools and madmen taught me rules."