And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.
I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.
By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how neither day nor night do one's eyes see sleep, then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.
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.
Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.
My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
I turned my heart to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know the wickedness of folly and the foolishness that is madness.
All this I observed while applying my heart to all that is done under the sun, when man had power over man to his hurt.
Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity.
My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes observe my ways.
An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.
Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.
The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.
making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,
Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.
Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com.