Ecclesiastes 1:16

Context

Futility of Secular Wisdom

1:16 I thought to myself,¹

“I have become much wiser² than any of my predecessors who ruled³ over Jerusalem;⁴

I⁵ have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.”⁶

Ecclesiastes 1:18

Context

1:18 For with great wisdom comes⁷ great frustration;

whoever increases his⁸ knowledge merely⁹ increases his¹⁰ heartache.

[1:16] ¹tn Heb “I spoke, I, with my heart.”

[1:16] ²tn Heb “I, look, I have made great and increased wisdom.” The expression הִגְדַּלְתִּי וְהוֹסַפְתִּי (higdalti vÿhosafti) is a verbal hendiadys; it means that Qoheleth had become the wisest man in the history of Jerusalem.

[1:16] ³tn The phrase “who ruled” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:16] ⁴map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[1:16] ⁵tn Heb “my heart” (לִבִּי, libbi). The term “heart” is a metonymy of part for the whole (“my heart” = myself).

[1:16] ⁶tn Heb “My heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.”

[1:18] ⁷tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:18] ⁸tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:18] ⁹tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:18] ¹⁰tn This term does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.