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| Parallel Chapters and Verses, Greek and Hebrew Lexicon, Commentaries, Strong's Bible Dictionary, Concordances and Cross References for Ecclesiastes 1 Ecclesiastes: Ecclesiastes 1:1 New American Standard Bible: The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. God's Word Translation: The words of the spokesman, the son of David and the king in Jerusalem. King James Version: The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Bible in Basic English: The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. JPS Old Testament: The words of the Koheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. World English Bible: The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem: Alphabetical: David in Jerusalem king of Preacher son Teacher The words GSB: 1:1 The words of the {a} Preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem. The Argument - Solomon as a preacher and one that desired to instruct all in the way of salvation, describes the deceivable vanities of this world: that man should not be addicted to anything under the sun, but rather inflamed with the desire of the heavenly life: therefore he confutes their opinions, which set their happiness either in knowledge or in pleasures, or in dignity and riches, wishing that man's true happiness consists in that he is united with God and will enjoy his presence: so that all other things must be rejected, save in as much as they further us to attain to this heavenly treasure, which is sure and permanent, and cannot be found in any other save in God alone. (a) Solomon is here called a preacher, or one who assembles the people, because he teaches the true knowledge of God, and how men ought to pass their life in this transitory world. WES: 1:1 The preacher - Who was not only a king, but also a teacher of God's people: who having sinned grievously in the eyes of all the world, thought himself obliged to publish his repentance, and to give publick warning to all, to avoid those rocks upon which he had split. MHC: 1:1-3 Much is to be learned by comparing one part of Scripture with another. We here behold Solomon returning from the broken and empty cisterns of the world, to the Fountain of living water; recording his own folly and shame, the bitterness of his disappointment, and the lessons he had learned. Those that have taken warning to turn and live, should warn others not to go on and die. He does not merely say all things are vain, but that they are vanity. VANITY OF VANITIES, ALL IS VANITY. This is the text of the preacher's sermon, of which in this book he never loses sight. If this world, in its present state, were all, it would not be worth living for; and the wealth and pleasure of this world, if we had ever so much, are not enough to make us happy. What profit has a man of all his labour? All he gets by it will not supply the wants of the soul, nor satisfy its desires; will not atone for the sins of the soul, nor hinder the loss of it: what profit will the wealth of the world be to the soul in death, in judgment, or in the everlasting state? Ecclesiastes 1:2 New American Standard Bible: "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity." God's Word Translation: "Absolutely pointless!" says the spokesman. "Absolutely pointless! Everything is pointless." King James Version: Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. Bible in Basic English: All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose. JPS Old Testament: Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; vanity of vanities, all is vanity. World English Bible: "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." Alphabetical: All Everything is Meaningless of Preacher says Teacher the Utterly vanities Vanity GSB: 1:2 {b} Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity. (b) He condemns the opinions of all men who set happiness in anything but in God alone, seeing that in this world all things are as vanity and nothing. WES: 1:2 Vanity - Not only vain, but vanity in the abstract, which denotes extreme vanity. Saith - Upon deep consideration and long experience, and by Divine inspiration. This verse contains the general proposition, which he intends particularly to demonstrate in the following book. All - All worldly things. Is vanity - Not in themselves for they are God's creatures and therefore good in their kinds, but in reference to that happiness, which men seek and expect to find in them. So they are unquestionably vain, because they are not what they seem to be, and perform not what they promise, but instead of that are the occasions of innumerable cares, and fears, and sorrows, and mischiefs. Nay, they are not only vanity but vanity of vanities, the vainest vanity, vanity in the highest degree. And this is redoubled, because the thing is certain, beyond all possibility of dispute. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:3 New American Standard Bible: What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun? God's Word Translation: What do people gain from all their hard work under the sun? King James Version: What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? Bible in Basic English: What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun? JPS Old Testament: What profit hath man of all his labour wherein he laboureth under the sun? World English Bible: What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun? Alphabetical: advantage all at does from gain have he his in labor man sun the toils under What which work GSB: 1:3 What profit hath a man of all his {c} labour which he taketh under the sun? (c) Solomon does not condemn man's labour or diligence, but shows that there is no full contentment in anything under the heavens, nor in any creature, as all things are transitory. WES: 1:3 What profit - What real and abiding benefit? None at all. All is unprofitable as to the attainment of that happiness which all men are enquiring after. His labour - Heb. his toilsome labour, both of body and mind in the pursuit of riches, or pleasures, or other earthly things. Under the sun - In all worldly matters, which are usually transacted in the day time, or by the light of the sun. By this restriction he implies that the happiness which in vain is sought for in this lower world, is really to be found in heavenly places and things. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:4 New American Standard Bible: A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever. God's Word Translation: Generations come, and generations go, but the earth lasts forever. King James Version: One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. Bible in Basic English: One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever. JPS Old Testament: One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; and the earth abideth for ever. World English Bible: One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever. Alphabetical: A and but come comes earth forever generation Generations go goes remains the GSB: 1:4 [One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh: but the earth abideth for {d} ever. (d) One man dies after another, and the earth remains longest, even to the last day, which yet is subject to corruption. WES: 1:4 Passeth - Men continue but for one, and that a short age, and then they leave all their possessions, and therefore they cannot be happy here, because happiness must needs be unchangeable and eternal; or else the certain knowledge of the approaching loss of all these things will rob a man of solid contentment in them. Abideth - Through all successive generations of men; and therefore man is more mutable than the very earth upon which he stands, and which, together with all the comforts which he enjoyed in it, he leaves behind to be possessed by others. MHC: 1:4-8 All things change, and never rest. Man, after all his labour, is no nearer finding rest than the sun, the wind, or the current of the river. His soul will find no rest, if he has it not from God. The senses are soon tired, yet still craving what is untried. Ecclesiastes 1:5 New American Standard Bible: Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; And hastening to its place it rises there again. God's Word Translation: The sun rises, and the sun sets, and then it rushes back to the place where it will rise again. King James Version: The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. Bible in Basic English: The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up. JPS Old Testament: The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth. World English Bible: The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises. Alphabetical: again Also and back hastening hurries it its place rises sets sun The there to where WES: 1:5 The sun - The sun is in perpetual motion, rising, setting, and rising again, and so constantly repeating its course in all succeeding days, and years, and ages; and the like he observes concerning the winds and rivers, ver.6,7, and the design of these similitudes seem to be; to shew the vanity of all worldly things, and that man's mind can never be satisfied with them, because there is nothing in the world but a constant repetition of the same things, which is so irksome, that the consideration thereof hath made some persons weary of their lives; and there is no new thing under the sun, as is added in the foot of the account, ver.9, which seems to be given us as a key to understand the meaning of the foregoing passages. And this is certain from experience that the things of this world are so narrow, and the mind of man so vast, that there must be something new to satisfy the mind; and even delightful things by too frequent repetition, are so far from yielding satisfaction, that they grow tedious and troublesome. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:6 New American Standard Bible: Blowing toward the south, Then turning toward the north, The wind continues swirling along; And on its circular courses the wind returns. God's Word Translation: The wind blows toward the south and shifts toward the north. Round and round it blows. It blows in a full circle. King James Version: The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. Bible in Basic English: The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever. JPS Old Testament: The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its circuit, and the wind returneth again to its circuits. World English Bible: The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses. Alphabetical: along and Blowing blows circular continues course courses ever goes it its north on returning returns round south swirling The Then to toward turning turns wind GSB: 1:6 The {e} wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to its circuits. (e) By the sun, wind and rivers, he shows that the greatest labour and longest has an end, and therefore there can be no happiness in this world. WES: 1:6 The wind - The wind also sometimes blows from one quarter of the world, and sometimes from another; successively returning to the same quarters in which it had formerly been. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:7 New American Standard Bible: All the rivers flow into the sea, Yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, There they flow again. God's Word Translation: All streams flow into the sea, but the sea is never full. The water goes back to the place where the streams began in order to start flowing again. King James Version: All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. Bible in Basic English: All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again. JPS Old Testament: All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again. World English Bible: All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again. Alphabetical: again All come flow from full into is never not place return rivers sea streams the there they To where yet GSB: 1:7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea [is] not full; to the place from {f} which the rivers come, there they return again. (f) The sea which compasses all the earth, fills the veins of it which pour out springs and rivers into the sea again. WES: 1:7 Is not full - So as to overflow the earth. Whereby also he intimates the emptiness of mens minds, notwithstanding all the abundance of creature comforts. Rivers come - Unto the earth in general, from whence they come or flow into the sea, and to which they return by the reflux of the sea. For he seems to speak of the visible and constant motion of the waters, both to the sea and from it, and then to it again in a perpetual reciprocation. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:8 New American Standard Bible: All things are wearisome; Man is not able to tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing. God's Word Translation: All of these sayings are worn-out phrases. They are more than anyone can express, comprehend, or understand. King James Version: All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. Bible in Basic English: All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing. JPS Old Testament: All things toil to weariness; man cannot utter it, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. World English Bible: All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. Alphabetical: able All are can ear enough eye fill filled has hearing is it its Man more never nor not of one satisfied say seeing tell than The things to wearisome with WES: 1:8 All things - Not only the sun, and winds, and rivers, but all other creatures. Labour - They are in continual restlessness and change, never abiding in the same state. Is not satisfied - As there are many things in the world vexatious to men, so even those things which are comfortable, are not satisfactory, but men are constantly desiring some longer continuance or fuller enjoyment of them, or variety in them. The eye and ear are here put for all the senses, because these are most spiritual and refined, most curious and inquisitive, most capable of receiving satisfaction, and exercised with more ease and pleasure than the other senses. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:9 New American Standard Bible: That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. God's Word Translation: Whatever has happened before will happen again. Whatever has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun. King James Version: The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Bible in Basic English: That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun. JPS Old Testament: That which hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun. World English Bible: That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Alphabetical: again And be been done has is new nothing So sun That the there under What which will GSB: 1:9 {g} The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is done [is] that which shall be done: and [there is] no new [thing] under the sun. (g) He speaks of times and seasons, and things done in them, which as they have been in times past, so come they to pass again. WES: 1:9 There is - There is nothing in the world but a continued and tiresome repetition of the same things. The nature and course of the beings and affairs of the world, and the tempers of men, are the same that they ever were and shall ever be; and therefore, because no man ever yet received satisfaction from worldly things, it is vain for any person hereafter to expect it. No new thing - In the nature of things, which might give us hopes of attaining that satisfaction which hitherto things have not afforded. MHC: 1:9-11 Men's hearts and their corruptions are the same now as in former times; their desires, and pursuits, and complaints, still the same. This should take us from expecting happiness in the creature, and quicken us to seek eternal blessings. How many things and persons in Solomon's day were thought very great, yet there is no remembrance of them now! Ecclesiastes 1:10 New American Standard Bible: Is there anything of which one might say, "See this, it is new "? Already it has existed for ages Which were before us. God's Word Translation: Can you say that anything is new? It has already been here long before us. King James Version: Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. Bible in Basic English: Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us. JPS Old Testament: Is there a thing whereof it is said: 'See, this is new'? --it hath been already, in the ages which were before us. World English Bible: Is there a thing of which it may be said, "Behold, this is new?" It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us. Alphabetical: ages ago already anything before can existed for has here Is It long Look might new of one our say See something there This time us was were which MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:11 New American Standard Bible: There is no remembrance of earlier things; And also of the later things which will occur, There will be for them no remembrance Among those who will come later still. God's Word Translation: Nothing from the past is remembered. Even in the future, nothing will be remembered by those who come after us. King James Version: There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after. Bible in Basic English: There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them. JPS Old Testament: There is no remembrance of them of former times; neither shall there be any remembrance of them of latter times that are to come, among those that shall come after. World English Bible: There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after. Alphabetical: also Among and are be by come earlier even follow for is later men no not occur of old remembered remembrance still the them There things those to which who will yet WES: 1:11 No remembrance - This seems to be added to prevent the objection, There are many inventions and enjoyments unknown to former ages. To this he answers, This objection is grounded only upon our ignorance of ancient times which if we exactly knew or remembered, we should easily find parallels to all present occurrences. There are many thousands of remarkable speeches and actions done in this and the following ages which neither are, nor ever will be, put into the publick records or histories, and consequently must unavoidably be forgotten in succeeding ages; and therefore it is just and reasonable to believe the same concerning former ages. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:12 New American Standard Bible: I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. God's Word Translation: I, the spokesman, have been king of Israel in Jerusalem. King James Version: I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. Bible in Basic English: I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. JPS Old Testament: I Koheleth have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. World English Bible: I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. Alphabetical: been have I in Israel Jerusalem king over Preacher Teacher the was GSB: 1:12 {h} I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. (h) He proves that if any could have attained happiness in this world by labour and study, he should have obtained it, because he had gifts and aids from God to it above all others. WES: 1:12 I was king - Having asserted the vanity of all things in the general, he now comes to prove his assertion in those particulars wherein men commonly seek, and with greatest probability expect to find, true happiness. He begins with secular wisdom. And to shew how competent a judge he was of this matter, he lays down this character, That he was the preacher, which implies eminent knowledge; and a king, who therefore had all imaginable opportunities and advantages for the attainment of happiness, and particularly for the getting of wisdom, by consulting all sorts of books and men, by trying all manner of experiments; and no ordinary king, but king over Israel, God's own people, a wise and an happy people, whose king he was by God's special appointment and furnished by God, with singular wisdom for that great trust; and whose abode was in Jerusalem where were the house of God and the most wise and learned of the priests attending upon it, and the seats of justice, and colleges or assemblies of the wisest men of their nation. All these concurring in him, which rarely do in any other men, make the argument drawn from his experience more convincing. MHC: 1:12-18 Solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. He found his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man's wickedness and misery; so that the more he knew, the more he saw cause to lament and mourn. Let us learn to hate and fear sin, the cause of all this vanity and misery; to value Christ; to seek rest in the knowledge, love, and service of the Saviour. Ecclesiastes 1:13 New American Standard Bible: And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. God's Word Translation: With all my heart I used wisdom to study and explore everything done under heaven. Mortals are weighed down with a terrible burden that God has placed on them. King James Version: And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. Bible in Basic English: And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do. JPS Old Testament: And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven; it is a sore task that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith. World English Bible: I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. Alphabetical: a afflicted all and be been burden by concerning devoted done explore given God grievous has heaven heavy I is It laid men mind my myself of on seek set sons study task that the to under What which wisdom with GSB: 1:13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all [things] that are done under heaven: this grievous labour hath God given to the sons of man {i} to be exercised with it. (i) Man by nature has a desire to know, and yet is not able to come to the perfection of knowledge, which is the punishment of sin, to humble man, and to teach him to depend only on God. WES: 1:13 I gave my heart - Which phrase denotes his serious and fixed purpose, and his great industry in it. To search - To seek diligently and accurately. By wisdom - By the help of that wisdom wherewith God had endowed me. Concerning - Concerning all the works of God and men in this lower world; the works of nature; the works of Divine providence; and the works and depths of human policy. This travel - This difficult and toilsome work of searching out these things, God hath inflicted as a just punishment upon man for his eating of the tree of knowledge. To be exercised - To employ themselves in the painful study of these things. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:14 New American Standard Bible: I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. God's Word Translation: I have seen everything that is done under the sun. Look at it! It's all pointless. It's like trying to catch the wind. King James Version: I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. Bible in Basic English: I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind. JPS Old Testament: I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. World English Bible: I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind. Alphabetical: a after all and are been behold chasing done have I is meaningless of seen striving sun that the them things under vanity which wind works WES: 1:14 Seen - Diligently observed. Vanity - Not only unsatisfying, but also an affliction or breaking to a man's spirit. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:15 New American Standard Bible: What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. God's Word Translation: No one can straighten what is bent. No one can count what is not there. King James Version: That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. Bible in Basic English: That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered. JPS Old Testament: That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. World English Bible: That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be counted. Alphabetical: and be cannot counted crooked is lacking straightened twisted What GSB: 1:15 [That which is] {k} crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is lacking cannot be numbered. (k) Man is not able by all his diligence to cause things to go other than they do: neither can he number the faults that are committed, much less remedy them. WES: 1:15 Crooked - All our knowledge serves only to discover our miseries, but is utterly insufficient to remove them; it cannot rectify those disorders which are either in our own hearts and lives, or in the men and things of the world. Wanting - In our knowledge. Or, counted out to us from the treasures of human learning. But what is wanting, will still be so. And that which is wanting in our own knowledge, is so much that it cannot be numbered. The more we know, the more we see of our own ignorance. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:16 New American Standard Bible: I said to myself, "Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge." God's Word Translation: I thought to myself, "I have grown wiser than anyone who has ruled Jerusalem before me. I've had a lot of experience with wisdom and knowledge." King James Version: I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. Bible in Basic English: I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem--yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge. JPS Old Testament: I spoke with my own heart, saying: 'Lo, I have gotten great wisdom, more also than all that were before me over Jerusalem'; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. World English Bible: I said to myself, "Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge." Alphabetical: a all and anyone before Behold experienced grown has have I in increased Jerusalem knowledge Look magnified me mind more much my myself observed of over ruled said than thought to wealth were who wisdom WES: 1:16 Communed - I considered within myself. Great - In wisdom. Have gotten - As I had a large stock of wisdom infused into me by God, so I have greatly improved it by conversation, and study, and experience. Than all - Whether governors, or priests, or private persons. In Jerusalem - Which was then the most eminent place in the world for wisdom. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:17 New American Standard Bible: And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. God's Word Translation: I've used my mind to understand wisdom and knowledge as well as madness and stupidity. Now I know that this is like trying to catch the 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. 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: And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly--I perceived that this also was a striving after 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. Alphabetical: a after also and applied but chasing folly I is know learned madness mind my myself of realized set striving that the Then this to too understanding wind wisdom GSB: 1:17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know {l} madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. (l) That is, vain things, which served to pleasure, in which was no convenience, but grief and trouble of conscience. WES: 1:17 To know - That I might throughly understand the nature and difference of truth and error, of virtue and vice. MHC: Ecclesiastes 1:18 New American Standard Bible: Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain. God's Word Translation: With a lot of wisdom comes a lot of heartache. The greater your knowledge, the greater your pain. King James Version: For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Bible in Basic English: Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow. JPS Old Testament: For in much wisdom is much vexation; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. World English Bible: For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. Alphabetical: and Because comes For grief in increasing is knowledge more much pain results sorrow the there wisdom with GSB: 1:18 For in much wisdom [is] much {m} grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. (m) Wisdom and knowledge cannot be come by without great pain of body and mind: for when a man has attained the highest, yet is his mind never fully content: therefore in this world is no true happiness. WES: 1:18 Grief - Or, displeasure within himself, and against his present condition. Sorrow - Which he does many ways, because he gets his knowledge with hard and wearisome labour, both of mind and body, with the consumption of his spirits, and shortening of his life; because he is often deceived with knowledge falsely so called, and often mistakes error for truth, and is perplexed with manifold doubts, from which ignorant men are wholly free; because he hath the clearer prospect into, and quicker sense of his own ignorance, and infirmities, and disorders, and withal how vain and ineffectual all his knowledge is for the prevention or removal of them; and because his knowledge is very imperfect and unsatisfying, yet increasing his thirst after more knowledge; lastly, because his knowledge quickly fades and dies with him, and then leaves him in no better, and possibly in a much worse condition than the meanest and most unlearned man in the world. 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