Ecclesiastes 8:16

Wisdom Exhaustion Rest and sabbath

¹⁴ There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile.

¹⁵ So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.

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—

¹⁷ 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.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

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—
KJV: 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:)
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),
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),
BLB: When I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to see the task that is done on earth—for even he is not seeing sleep with his eyes in the day and in the night—

ÅB: Da jeg vendte min hu til å lære visdom å kjenne og til å se på det strev og kav folk har her på jorden - for hverken dag eller natt får de søvn på sine øyne -
OTB: Når jeg satte mitt sinn til å forstå visdom og å observere virksomheten som gjøres på jorden, selv om folk aldri sover dag eller natt,
B1930: Da jeg vendte min hu til å lære visdom å kjenne og til å se på det strev og kav folk har her på jorden - for hverken dag eller natt får de søvn på sine øine -

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Ecclesiastes 2:23
Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 1:13
And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!
Read in context
Psalms 127:2
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for bread to eat— for He gives sleep to His beloved.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 8:7
Since no one knows what will happen, who can tell him what is to come?
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 8:9
All this I have seen, applying my mind to every deed that is done under the sun; there is a time when one man lords it over another to his own detriment.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 4:8
There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: “For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?” This too is futile—a miserable task.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 5:12
The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.
Read in context
Ecclesiastes 7:25
I directed my mind to understand, to explore, to search out wisdom and explanations, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the folly of madness.
Read in context