Ecclesiastes 8:16
When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)
Ecclesiastes 8:16 in other translations
| BSB | When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the task that one performs on the earth—though his eyes do not see sleep in the day or even in the night— |
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| WEB | When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (even though eyes see no sleep day or night), |
| ASV | When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes), |
| YLT | When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the business that hath been done on the earth, (for there is also a spectator in whose eyes sleep is not by day and by night), |
| DARBY | When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes), |
| BBE | When I gave my mind to the knowledge of wisdom and to seeing the business which is done on the earth (and there are those whose eyes see not sleep by day or by night), |
| Webster | When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:) |
What does Ecclesiastes 8:16 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 8:14-17
Faith alone can establish the heart in this mixed scene, where the righteous often suffer, and the wicked prosper. Solomon commended joy, and holy security of mind, arising from confidence in God, because a man has no better thing under the sun, though a good man has much better things above the sun, than soberly and thankfully to use the things of this life according to his rank. He would not have us try to give a…
Ecclesiastes 8:16 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Ecclesiastes 8:16
- Ecclesiastes 2:23
For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.
- Ecclesiastes 1:13
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.
- Psalms 127:2
It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
- Ecclesiastes 8:7
For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be?
- Ecclesiastes 8:9
All this have I seen, and applied my heart unto every work that is done under the sun: there is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
- Ecclesiastes 4:8
There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
- Ecclesiastes 5:12
The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.
- Ecclesiastes 7:25
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:
- Genesis 31:40
Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
9; 7; 7:25
there is that.
2:23; 4:8; 5:12; Ge 31:40; Ps 127:2
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Ecclesiastes 8:15
Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.
- Ecclesiastes 8:16
When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)
- Ecclesiastes 8:17
Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
Ecclesiastes 8:16 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Yo pues dí mi corazón á conocer sabiduría, y á ver la faena que se hace sobre la tierra; (porque hay quien ni de noche ni de día ve sueño en su ojos;) |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Lorsque j’ai appliqué mon cœur à connaître la sagesse et à regarder les choses qui se font sur la terre (car il y a tel homme qui, ni jour ni nuit, ne voit le sommeil de ses yeux), |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Als ich mein Herz darauf richtete, Weisheit zu erkennen, und das Treiben zu besehen, welches auf Erden geschieht, |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Et apposui cor meum ut scirem sapientiam, et intelligerem distentionem quæ versatur in terra. Est homo qui diebus et noctibus somnum non capit oculis. |