Ecclesiastes 9 · Verse 13

Ecclesiastes 9:13

This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
Ecclesiastes 9:13, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 9:13 in other translations

BSBI have also seen this wisdom under the sun, and it was great to me:
WEBI have also seen wisdom under the sun in this way, and it seemed great to me.
ASVI have also seen wisdom under the sun on this wise, and it seemed great unto me:
YLTThis also I have seen: wisdom under the sun, and it is great to me.
DARBYThis also have I seen as wisdom under the sun, and it was great unto me.
BBEThis again I have seen under the sun as wisdom and it seemed great to me.
WebsterThis wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed to me great:

What does Ecclesiastes 9:13 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
13. Rather, "I have seen wisdom of this kind also," that is, exhibited in the way which is described in what follows [Maurer].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 9:13-18
A man may, by his wisdom, bring to pass that which he could never do by his strength. If God be for us, who can be against us, or stand before us? Solomon observes the power of wisdom, though it may labour under outward disadvantages. How forcible are right words! But wise and good men must often content themselves with the satisfaction of having done good, or, at least, endeavoured to do it, when they cannot do the good they would, nor have the praise they should. How many of the good gifts, both of nature and Providence, does one sinner destroy and make waste! He who destroys his own soul destroys much good. One sinner may draw many into his destroying ways. See who are the friends and enemies of a kingdom or a family, if one saint does much good, and one sinner destroys much good.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ecclesiastes 9:13 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.

גַּם\־gam-alsoH1571
זֹ֛הzohthisH2090
רָאִ֥יתִיra.'I.tiI have seenH7200
חָכְמָ֖הchokh.mahwisdomH2451
תַּ֣חַתTa.chatunderH8478
הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshthe sunH8121
וּגְדוֹלָ֥הu.ge.do.Lahand [was] greatH1419
הִ֖יאhi'itH1931
אֵלָֽי\׃'e.Laito meH413

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 9:13

  • 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 7:15

    All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

  • Ecclesiastes 6:1

    There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

  • Ecclesiastes 9:11

    I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
11; 6:1; 7:15; 8:16

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 9:12

    For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:13

    This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

  • Ecclesiastes 9:14

    There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it:

Read all of Ecclesiastes 9

Ecclesiastes 9:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		También vi esta sabiduría debajo del sol, la cual me parece grande:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		J’ai vu aussi cette sagesse sous le soleil, et elle a été grande pour moi:
German
Elberfelder 1871		Auch dieses habe ich als Weisheit unter der Sonne gesehen, und sie kam mir groß vor:
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Hanc quoque sub sole vidi sapientiam, et probavi maximam: