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Key Verse Spotlight

Ecclesiastes 8:17 - Meaning and Application

Understand how this verse speaks to what you're facing and how to apply it today

Translation: World English Bible — Catholic Edition

" then I saw all the work of God, that man can’t find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won’t find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won’t be able to find it. "

Ecclesiastes 8:17

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15 Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun than to eat, to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.

16 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),

17 then I saw all the work of God, that man can’t find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won’t find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won’t be able to find it.

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Related Verses

Ecclesiastes 9:1

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"For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them."

Speaks to the same theme

Ecclesiastes 2:11

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"Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun."

Speaks to the same theme

Proverbs 24:12

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"If you say, “Behold, we didn’t know this,” doesn’t he who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, doesn’t he know it? Shall he not give to every man according to his work?"

Speaks to the same theme

Isaiah 29:14

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"therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their prudent men will be hidden.”"

Speaks to the same theme

Wisdom 9:16

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"We can hardly guess the things that are on earth, and we find the things that are close at hand with labor; but who has traced out the things that are in the heavens?"

Speaks to the same theme

Wisdom 13:1

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"For truly all men who had no perception of God were foolish by nature, and didn’t gain power to know him who exists from the good things that are seen. They didn’t recognize the architect from his works."

Speaks to the same theme

Related verses from Bible Guided Semantic Search

From This Chapter

Ecclesiastes 8:1

"Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man’s wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed."

Ecclesiastes 8:2

"I say, “Keep the king’s command!” because of the oath to God."

Ecclesiastes 8:3

"Don’t be hasty to go out of his presence. Don’t persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him,"

Ecclesiastes 8:4

"for the king’s word is supreme. Who can say to him, “What are you doing?”"

Ecclesiastes 8:5

"Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure."

Ecclesiastes 8:6

"For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him."

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