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THE MESSAGE
Ecclesiastes 7:23
I tested everything in my search for wisdom. I set out to be wise, but it was beyond me, far beyond me, and deep—oh so deep! Does anyone ever find it? I concentrated with all my might, studying and exploring and seeking wisdom—the meaning of life. I also wanted to identify evil and stupidity, foolishness and craziness.
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
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Christian Standard Bible®
I have tested all this by wisdom. I resolved, “I will be wise,” but it was beyond me.
I have tested all this by wisdom. I resolved, “I will be wise,” but it was beyond me.
Hebrew Names Version
All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.
All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.
King James Version
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
English Standard Version
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
All this I have tested by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
New American Standard Bible
I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but wisdom was far from me.
I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but wisdom was far from me.
New Century Version
I used wisdom to test all these things. I wanted to be wise, but it was too hard for me.
I used wisdom to test all these things. I wanted to be wise, but it was too hard for me.
Amplified Bible
I have tested all this with wisdom. I said, "I will be wise [independently of God]," but true wisdom was far from me.
I have tested all this with wisdom. I said, "I will be wise [independently of God]," but true wisdom was far from me.
World English Bible
All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.
All this have I proved in wisdom. I said, "I will be wise;" but it was far from me.
Geneva Bible (1587)
All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.
All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I thought I will be wise, but it went farre from me.
Legacy Standard Bible
I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
Berean Standard Bible
All this I tested by wisdom, saying, "I resolve to be wise." But it was beyond me.
All this I tested by wisdom, saying, "I resolve to be wise." But it was beyond me.
Contemporary English Version
I told myself that I would be smart and try to understand all of this, but it was too much for me.
I told myself that I would be smart and try to understand all of this, but it was too much for me.
Complete Jewish Bible
All this I have put to the test of wisdom; I said, "I will acquire wisdom"; but wisdom remained far away from me.
All this I have put to the test of wisdom; I said, "I will acquire wisdom"; but wisdom remained far away from me.
Darby Translation
All this have I tried by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
All this have I tried by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Easy-to-Read Version
I used my wisdom and thought about all these things. I wanted to be wise, but I couldn't do it.
I used my wisdom and thought about all these things. I wanted to be wise, but I couldn't do it.
George Lamsa Translation
I have tried all these things by wisdom; I said, I will be wise; but wisdom was far from me.
I have tried all these things by wisdom; I said, I will be wise; but wisdom was far from me.
Good News Translation
I used my wisdom to test all of this. I was determined to be wise, but it was beyond me.
I used my wisdom to test all of this. I was determined to be wise, but it was beyond me.
Lexham English Bible
All this I have tested with wisdom. I said, "I will be wise!" but it was beyond my grasp.
All this I have tested with wisdom. I said, "I will be wise!" but it was beyond my grasp.
Literal Translation
All this I have tested by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
All this I have tested by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
All these thinges haue I proued because of wy?dome: for I thought to be wyse, but she wente farther fro me
All these thinges haue I proued because of wy?dome: for I thought to be wyse, but she wente farther fro me
American Standard Version
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Bible in Basic English
All this I have put to the test by wisdom; I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.
All this I have put to the test by wisdom; I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
All this have I tried by wisdom; I said: 'I will get wisdom'; but it was far from me.
All this have I tried by wisdom; I said: 'I will get wisdom'; but it was far from me.
King James Version (1611)
All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I said, I will be wise, but it was farre from me.
All this haue I prooued by wisedome: I said, I will be wise, but it was farre from me.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
All these thinges haue I proued in wysdome, for I thought to be wyse, but she went farther fro me then she was before:
All these thinges haue I proued in wysdome, for I thought to be wyse, but she went farther fro me then she was before:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
For many times he shall trespass against thee, and repeatedly shall he afflict thine heart; for thus also hast thou cursed others.
For many times he shall trespass against thee, and repeatedly shall he afflict thine heart; for thus also hast thou cursed others.
English Revised Version
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
I asayede alle thingis in wisdom; Y seide, I schal be maad wijs, and it yede awei ferthere fro me, myche more than it was;
I asayede alle thingis in wisdom; Y seide, I schal be maad wijs, and it yede awei ferthere fro me, myche more than it was;
Update Bible Version
All this I have proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
All this I have proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Webster's Bible Translation
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me.
New English Translation
I have examined all this by wisdom; I said, "I am determined to comprehend this"—but it was beyond my grasp.
I have examined all this by wisdom; I said, "I am determined to comprehend this"—but it was beyond my grasp.
New King James Version
All this I have proved by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise"; But it was far from me.
All this I have proved by wisdom. I said, "I will be wise"; But it was far from me.
New Living Translation
I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, "I am determined to be wise." But it didn't work.
I have always tried my best to let wisdom guide my thoughts and actions. I said to myself, "I am determined to be wise." But it didn't work.
New Life Bible
I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
New Revised Standard
All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
All this, have I proved by wisdom, - I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.
All this, have I proved by wisdom, - I said, I will be wise, but, that, was far from me.
Douay-Rheims Bible
(7-24) I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
(7-24) I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
Revised Standard Version
All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, "I will be wise"; but it was far from me.
All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, "I will be wise"; but it was far from me.
Young's Literal Translation
All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, `I am wise,' and it [is] far from me.
All this I have tried by wisdom; I have said, `I am wise,' and it [is] far from me.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
I tested all this with wisdom, and I said, "I will be wise," but it was far from me.
Contextual Overview
23I tested everything in my search for wisdom. I set out to be wise, but it was beyond me, far beyond me, and deep—oh so deep! Does anyone ever find it? I concentrated with all my might, studying and exploring and seeking wisdom—the meaning of life. I also wanted to identify evil and stupidity, foolishness and craziness. 26One discovery: A woman can be a bitter pill to swallow, full of seductive scheming and grasping. The lucky escape her; the undiscerning get caught. At least this is my experience—what I, the Quester, have pieced together as I've tried to make sense of life. But the wisdom I've looked for I haven't found. I didn't find one man or woman in a thousand worth my while. Yet I did spot one ray of light in this murk: God made men and women true and upright; we're the ones who've made a mess of things.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
I said: Genesis 3:5, 1 Kings 3:11, 1 Kings 3:12, 1 Kings 11:1-8, Romans 1:22, 1 Corinthians 1:20
Reciprocal: Job 28:12 - General Job 28:20 - General Ecclesiastes 1:17 - I gave Ecclesiastes 7:28 - yet Ecclesiastes 8:17 - that a man
Cross-References
Genesis 7:1
Next God said to Noah, "Now board the ship, you and all your family—out of everyone in this generation, you're the righteous one.
Next God said to Noah, "Now board the ship, you and all your family—out of everyone in this generation, you're the righteous one.
Genesis 7:17
The flood continued forty days and the waters rose and lifted the ship high over the Earth. The waters kept rising, the flood deepened on the Earth, the ship floated on the surface. The flood got worse until all the highest mountains were covered—the high-water mark reached twenty feet above the crest of the mountains. Everything died. Anything that moved—dead. Birds, farm animals, wild animals, the entire teeming exuberance of life—dead. And all people—dead. Every living, breathing creature that lived on dry land died; he wiped out the whole works—people and animals, crawling creatures and flying birds, every last one of them, gone. Only Noah and his company on the ship lived.
The flood continued forty days and the waters rose and lifted the ship high over the Earth. The waters kept rising, the flood deepened on the Earth, the ship floated on the surface. The flood got worse until all the highest mountains were covered—the high-water mark reached twenty feet above the crest of the mountains. Everything died. Anything that moved—dead. Birds, farm animals, wild animals, the entire teeming exuberance of life—dead. And all people—dead. Every living, breathing creature that lived on dry land died; he wiped out the whole works—people and animals, crawling creatures and flying birds, every last one of them, gone. Only Noah and his company on the ship lived.
Psalms 91:1
You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, Say this: " God , you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!" That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God 's your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.
You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, Say this: " God , you're my refuge. I trust in you and I'm safe!" That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you're perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God 's your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can't get close to you, harm can't get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they'll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path.
Proverbs 11:4
A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a principled life can stand up to the worst.
A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart, but a principled life can stand up to the worst.
Matthew 25:46
"Then those ‘goats' will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep' to their eternal reward."
"Then those ‘goats' will be herded to their eternal doom, but the ‘sheep' to their eternal reward."
Hebrews 11:7
By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn't see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God.
By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn't see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God.
2 Peter 2:9
So God knows how to rescue the godly from evil trials. And he knows how to hold the feet of the wicked to the fire until Judgment Day.
So God knows how to rescue the godly from evil trials. And he knows how to hold the feet of the wicked to the fire until Judgment Day.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
All this have I proved by wisdom,.... Referring either to all that he had been discoursing of hitherto in this book, concerning the vanity of natural wisdom and knowledge, of pleasure, power, and riches; or to the several useful instructions given in this chapter, particularly concerning patiently bearing everything from the hands of God or men, Ecclesiastes 7:8. This, by the help and use of that wisdom which God had given him, he had made trial of, and found it to be right, and therefore recommended it to others; though he acknowledges that, with all his wisdom, he was from perfection;
I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me; he determined, if possible, to attain to the perfection of wisdom, and made use of all means to come at it; that he might know all the works of God in creation, the nature, use, and excellency of them; in providence, his different dispensations towards the sons of men, and the causes of them; and in grace, the redemption and salvation of men, and the mysteries thereof; but the more he knew, the more he was convinced of his own ignorance, and seemed further off from the summit of knowledge than he was before; and plainly saw, that perfection in wisdom is not attainable in this life. The Targum restrains this to the wisdom of the law; but it is better to understand it in a more general sense.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
I will be - Or, I am. There was a time when Solomon thought himself wise enough to comprehend the work of God, and therefore needed for himself the self-humbling conviction declared in this verse.
It - i. e. Wisdom. Compare Ecclesiastes 8:17.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 23. All this have I proved by wisdom — These rules I have laid down for my own conduct, and sought after more wisdom; but have fallen far short of what I wished to be.
