Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 1:17–18

¹⁷So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.

¹⁸For with much wisdom comes much sorrow,

and as knowledge grows, grief increases.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So I set	וָאֶתְּנָ֤ה	wā·’et·tə·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singular	H5414 give, put, set
my mind	לִבִּי֙	lib·bî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
to know	לָדַ֣עַת	lā·ḏa·‘aṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3045 know
wisdom	חָכְמָ֔ה	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
madness	הוֹלֵל֖וֹת	hō·w·lê·lō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H1947 madness
and folly	וְשִׂכְל֑וּת	wə·śiḵ·lūṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular	H5531 folly
I learned	יָדַ֕עְתִּי	yā·ḏa‘·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H3045 know
that	זֶ֥ה	zeh	Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
this	ה֖וּא	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
too	שֶׁגַּם־	šeg·gam-	Pronoun - relative; Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
is a pursuit	רַעְי֥וֹן	ra‘·yō·wn	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7475 id.
of the wind	רֽוּחַ׃	rū·aḥ	Noun - common singular	H7307 breath, wind, spirit

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֛י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
with much	בְּרֹ֥ב	bə·rōḇ	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7230 multitude, abundance, greatness
wisdom	חָכְמָ֖ה	ḥāḵ·māh	Noun - feminine singular	H2451 wisdom
comes much	רָב־	rāḇ-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H7227 much, many, great
sorrow	כָּ֑עַס	kā·‘as	Noun - masculine singular	H3708 vexation, anger
and as knowledge	דַּ֖עַת	da·‘aṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H1847 knowledge
grows	וְיוֹסִ֥יף	wə·yō·w·sîp̄	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3254 add
grief	מַכְאֽוֹב׃	maḵ·’ō·wḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H4341 pain
increases	יוֹסִ֥יף	yō·w·sîp̄	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3254 add

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Ecclesiastes 1:17 Ecclesiastes 2:3 · 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Ecclesiastes 1:18 Job 28:28 · Ecclesiastes 12:12–13 · 1 Corinthians 3:18–20 · Ecclesiastes 7:16 · James 3:13–17 · Ecclesiastes 2:23 · Ecclesiastes 2:15

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.