Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes 8:17
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 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.