Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 8:16–17

¹⁶When 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 — ¹⁷I 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.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 8

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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.

Ecclesiastes 8:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	כַּאֲשֶׁ֨ר	ka·’ă·šer	Preposition-k; Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
I applied	נָתַ֤תִּי	nā·ṯat·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common 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
and to observe	וְלִרְאוֹת֙	wə·lir·’ō·wṯ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H7200 see
the task	הָ֣עִנְיָ֔ן	hā·‘in·yān	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6045 occupation, task
that	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
one performs	נַעֲשָׂ֖ה	na·‘ă·śāh	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the earth	הָאָ֑רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
though	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
his eyes	בְּעֵינָ֖יו	bə·‘ê·nāw	Preposition-b; Noun - cdc; third person masculine singular	H5869 eye
do not	אֵינֶ֥נּוּ	’ê·nen·nū	Adverb; third person masculine singular	H369 nothing, nought
see	רֹאֶֽה׃	rō·’eh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7200 see
sleep	שֵׁנָ֕ה	šê·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8142 sleep
in the day	בַּיּוֹם֙	bay·yō·wm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3117 day
or even in the night	וּבַלַּ֔יְלָה	ū·ḇal·lay·lāh	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3915 twist, night, adversity

Ecclesiastes 8:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
I saw	וְרָאִיתִי֮	wə·rā·’î·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H7200 see
every	כָּל־	kāl-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
work	מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה	ma·‘ă·śêh	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4639 deed, work
of God	הָאֱלֹהִים֒	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
and that	כִּי֩	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
a man	הָאָדָ֗ם	hā·’ā·ḏām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
is unable	לֹ֨א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to comprehend	לִמְצוֹא֙	lim·ṣō·w	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H4672 attain to, find
the work	הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙	ham·ma·‘ă·śeh	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4639 deed, work
that	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
is done	נַעֲשָׂ֣ה	na·‘ă·śāh	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6213 do, make
under	תַֽחַת־	ṯa·ḥaṯ-	Preposition	H8478 the under part
the sun	הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ	haš·še·meš	Article; Noun - common singular	H8121 sun
Despite	בְּ֠שֶׁל	bə·šel	Preposition-b; Pronoun - relative
efforts	יַעֲמֹ֧ל	ya·‘ă·mōl	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5998 labour, toil
to search it out	לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ	lə·ḇaq·qêš	Preposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct	H1245 seek
he cannot	וְלֹ֣א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
find	יִמְצָ֑א	yim·ṣā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H4672 attain to, find
even	וְגַ֨ם	wə·ḡam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
if	אִם־	’im-	Conjunction	H518 if
the wise	הֶֽחָכָם֙	he·ḥā·ḵām	Article; Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
man claims	יֹאמַ֤ר	yō·mar	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to know	לָדַ֔עַת	lā·ḏa·‘aṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H3045 know
he is unable	לֹ֥א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to comprehend	לִמְצֹֽא׃	lim·ṣō	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H4672 attain to, find

Cross-references

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

Ecclesiastes 8:16 Ecclesiastes 2:23 · Psalm 127:2 · Ecclesiastes 1:13

Ecclesiastes 8:17 Ecclesiastes 3:11 · Psalm 73:16 · Romans 11:33 · Job 5:9 · Job 11:7–9 · Isaiah 40:28 · Ecclesiastes 7:23–24 · Proverbs 30:3–4 · Psalm 40:5 · Ecclesiastes 11:5

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.