Ecclesiastes 8:17
BSB · Public Domain (CC0)“I saw every work of God, and that a man is unable to comprehend the work that is done under the sun. Despite his efforts to search it out, he cannot find its meaning; even if the wise man claims to know, he is unable to comprehend.”
A short, plain-language explanation of Ecclesiastes 8:17 goes here — the kind of answer a reader (or an AI assistant) can quote in one breath. Original meaning coming soon.
“I saw every work of God, and that a man is unable to comprehend the work that is done under the sun. Despite his efforts to search it out, he cannot find its meaning; even if the wise man claims to know, he is unable to comprehend.”
Berean Standard Bible · Public Domain (CC0)“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.”
King James Version · Public Domain“then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.”
American Standard Version · Public Domain“then I considered all the work of God, that man is not able to find out the work that hath been done under the sun, because though man labour to seek, yet he doth not find; and even though the wise man speak of knowing he is not able to find.”
Young's Literal Translation · Public DomainOther passages that echo Ecclesiastes 8:17 — 11 related verses from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Job 5:9the One who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number.
- Job 11:7Can you fathom the deep things of God or discover the limits of the Almighty?
- Psalms 40:5Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders You have done, and the plans You have for us— none can compare to You— if I proclaim and declare them, they are more than I can count.
- Psalms 73:16When I tried to understand all this, it was troublesome in my sight
- Psalms 104:24How many are Your works, O LORD! In wisdom You have made them all; the earth is full of Your creatures.
- Proverbs 30:3I have not learned wisdom, and I have no knowledge of the Holy One.
- Ecclesiastes 3:11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end.
- Ecclesiastes 7:23All this I tested by wisdom, saying, “I resolve to be wise.” But it was beyond me.
- Ecclesiastes 11:5As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the bones are formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.
- Isaiah 40:28Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary; His understanding is beyond searching out.
- Romans 11:33O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
Cross-reference data: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain) via OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).