Parallel Verses

The Emphasized Bible

And I gave my heart to seek and to search out, wisely, concerning all things which are done under the heavens, - the same, is the vexatious employment God hath given to the sons of men, to work toilsomely therein,

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.

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.

Holman Bible

I applied my mind to seek and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied.

International Standard Version

I dedicated myself to using wisdom for study and discovery of everything that is done under heaven. God uses terrible things so human beings will struggle with life.

A Conservative Version

And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven. It is a great tribulation that God has given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

American Standard Version

And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

Amplified

And I set my mind to seek and explore by [man’s] wisdom all [human activity] that has been done under heaven. It is a miserable business and a burdensome task which God has given the sons of men with which to be busy and distressed.

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.

Darby Translation

And I applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this grievous occupation hath God given to the children of men to weary themselves therewith.

Julia Smith Translation

And I gave my heart to seek and to search out in wisdom concerning all which was done under the heavens: this evil business God gave to the sons of man to be occupied in it

King James 2000

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this severe burden has God given to the sons of man to be afflicted with.

Lexham Expanded Bible

I applied my mind to seek and to search by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. It [is] a grievous task God has given to {humans}.

Modern King James verseion

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all which is done under the heavens. It is a sad task God has given to the sons of men to be humbled by it.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

applied my mind to seek out and search for the knowledge of all things that are done under heaven. Such travail and labor hath God given to the children of men, to exercise themselves therein.

NET Bible

I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied.

New Heart 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.

Webster

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this grievous labor hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised with it.

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.

Youngs Literal Translation

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.

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
And I gave
נתן 
Nathan 
Usage: 2011

to seek
דּרשׁ 
Darash 
Usage: 164

and search out
תּוּר 
Tuwr 
Usage: 23

by wisdom
חכמה 
Chokmah 
Usage: 149

שׁמה שׁמים 
Shamayim 
Usage: 420

ענין 
`inyan 
Usage: 8

אלהים 
'elohiym 
Usage: 2600

נתן 
Nathan 
Usage: 2011

to the sons

Usage: 0

of man
אדם 
'adam 
Usage: 541

to be exercised
ענה 
`anah 
Usage: 83

Context Readings

Qohelet Introduces His Quest

12 I, the Proclaimer, was king over Israel, in Jerusalem. 13 And I gave my heart to seek and to search out, wisely, concerning all things which are done under the heavens, - the same, is the vexatious employment God hath given to the sons of men, to work toilsomely therein, 14 I saw all the works which were done under the sun, - and lo! all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.


Cross References

Ecclesiastes 3:10

I looked at the employment which God hath given to the sons of men, to work therein:

Ecclesiastes 1:17

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.

Genesis 3:19

In the sweat of thy face, shalt thou eat bread, until thou return to the ground, because therefrom, wast thou taken, - For, dust, thou art, And, unto dust, shalt thou return.

Ecclesiastes 7:25

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.

Psalm 111:2

Great are the works of Yahweh, sought out, by all who find pleasure therein.

Proverbs 2:2-4

So that thou direct, unto wisdom, thine ear, bend thy heart, unto understanding;

Proverbs 4:7

The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.

Proverbs 18:1

A man seeketh, for satisfaction, going his own way, through all safe counsel, he breaketh.

Proverbs 18:15

the heart of the intelligent, acquireth knowledge, yea, the ear of the wise, seeketh knowledge.

Proverbs 23:26

Oh give, my son, thy mind unto me, and let, thine eyes, observe, my ways;

Ecclesiastes 2:23

For, all his days, are pains, and, vexatious, is his employment, even in the night, his heart lieth not down, - even this, was, vanity.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

For, to a man who is good before him, hath he given wisdom and knowledge and gladness, - whereas, to the sinner, he hath given employment, to gather and heap up, to give to one who is good before God, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour, - even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

Ecclesiastes 8:9

All this, had I seen, and tried to apply my heart to every work which was done under the sun, - at such time as one man had power over another man, to his hurt.

Ecclesiastes 8:16-17

When I gave my heart, to know wisdom, and to consider the business that was done upon the earth, then surely, by day and by night, there was one who suffered not his eyes, to sleep.

Ecclesiastes 12:12

And besides, from them, my son, be admonished, - Of making many books, there is no end, and, much study, is a weariness of the flesh.

1 Timothy 4:15

These things, be thy care, in these things, be thou, that, thine advancement, may be, manifest, unto all:

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