Parallel Verses

Youngs Literal Translation

I have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the madness.

New American Standard Bible

I directed my mind to know, to investigate and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of folly and the foolishness of madness.

King James Version

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

Holman Bible

I turned my thoughts to know, explore, and seek wisdom and an explanation for things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity and folly is madness.

International Standard Version

I committed myself to understand, to learn, to search for wisdom and explanations, and to understand both the evil that is foolishness and the stupidity that is delusion.

A Conservative Version

I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

American Standard Version

I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things , and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

Amplified

I turned around and directed my heart to know, to investigate and to seek [skillful and godly] wisdom and the reason for things, and to know that wickedness is folly and that foolishness is madness [leading to stupidity and recklessness].

Bible in Basic English

I gave my mind to knowledge and to searching for wisdom and the reason of things, and to the discovery that sin is foolish, and that to be foolish is to be without one's senses.

Darby Translation

I turned, I and my heart, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and reason, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;

Julia Smith Translation

I went round about, I and my heart., to know, and to examine, and to search out wisdom and understanding, and to know the injustice of folly, and the folly of wickedness:

King James 2000

I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

Lexham Expanded Bible

I set my mind to try to seek wisdom and the plan, and to know that wickedness [is] foolishness and that folly [is] delusion.

Modern King James verseion

I set my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness;

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

I applied my mind also to knowledge, and to seek out science, wisdom and understanding: to know the foolishness of the ungodly, and the error of doting fools.

NET Bible

I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly.

New Heart English Bible

I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.

The Emphasized Bible

Resolved, I, in my heart, to know and search out, and to seek wisdom, and a conclusion, - and to know lawlessness to be stupidity, and folly to be madness.

Webster

I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

World English Bible

I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
סבב 
Cabab 
Usage: 157

and to search
תּוּר 
Tuwr 
Usage: 23

and to seek out
בּקשׁ 
Baqash 
Usage: 225

חכמה 
Chokmah 
Usage: 149

and the reason
חשׁבּון 
Cheshbown 
Usage: 3

רשׁע 
Resha` 
Usage: 30

of folly
כּסל 
Kecel 
Usage: 13

שׂכלוּת סכלוּת 
Cikluwth 
Usage: 7

Devotionals

Devotionals containing Ecclesiastes 7:25

References

Easton

Hastings

Images Ecclesiastes 7:25

Context Readings

Absolute Wisdom Is Unattainable

24 Far off is that which hath been, and deep, deep, who doth find it? 25 I have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the madness. 26 And I am finding more bitter than death, the woman whose heart is nets and snares, her hands are bands; the good before God escapeth from her, but the sinner is captured by her.


Cross References

Ecclesiastes 10:13

The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly, And the latter end of his mouth Is mischievous madness.

Genesis 34:7

and the sons of Jacob came in from the field when they heard, and the men grieve themselves, and it is very displeasing to them, for folly he hath done against Israel, to lie with the daughter of Jacob -- and so it is not done.

Joshua 7:13

Rise, sanctify the people, and thou hast said, Sanctify yourselves for to-morrow; for thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, A devoted thing is in thy midst, O Israel, thou art not able to stand before thine enemies till your turning aside of the devoted thing out of your midst;

2 Samuel 13:12

And she saith to him, 'Nay, my brother, do not humble me, for it is not done so in Israel; do not this folly.

Proverbs 17:12

The meeting of a bereaved bear by a man, And -- not a fool in his folly.

Proverbs 26:11

As a dog hath returned to its vomit, A fool is repeating his folly.

Ecclesiastes 1:13-17

And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It is a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.

Ecclesiastes 2:1-3

I said in my heart, 'Pray, come, I try thee with mirth, and look thou on gladness;' and lo, even it is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 2:12

And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what is the man who cometh after the king? that which is already -- they have done it!

Ecclesiastes 2:15

and I said in my heart, 'As it happeneth with the fool, it happeneth also with me, and why am I then more wise?' And I spake in my heart, that also this is vanity:

Ecclesiastes 2:20

And I turned round to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour that I laboured at under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 3:16-17

And again, I have seen under the sun the place of judgment -- there is the wicked; and the place of righteousness -- there is the wicked.

Ecclesiastes 7:27

See, this I have found, said the Preacher, one to one, to find out the reason

Ecclesiastes 9:1-3

But all this I have laid unto my heart, so as to clear up the whole of this, that the righteous and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God, neither love nor hatred doth man know, the whole is before them.

Jeremiah 12:1-2

Righteous art Thou, O Jehovah, When I plead towards thee, Only, judgments do I speak with Thee, Wherefore did the way of the wicked prosper? At rest have been all treacherous dealers.

2 Peter 2:3-9

and in covetousness, with moulded words, of you they shall make merchandise, whose judgment of old is not idle, and their destruction doth not slumber.

2 Peter 3:3-9

this first knowing, that there shall come in the latter end of the days scoffers, according to their own desires going on,

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain