# Ecclesiastes 1.16 **Book:** [Ecclesiastes](/codex/ecclesiastes/) · NASB95 ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 14. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. 15. That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. > > **16. I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.** > > 17. And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind. 18. For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. (Ecclesiastes 1:14-18, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 14. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind. 15. That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted. > > **16. I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”** > > 17. I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind. 18. For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. (Ecclesiastes 1:14-18, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 14. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 15. That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. that which is wanting: Heb. defect > > **16. I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. had: Heb. had seen much** > > 17. And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. 18. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. (Ecclesiastes 1:14-18, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 14. I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit! 15. A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered. > > **16. I, I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.** > > 17. And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit; 18. for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.' (Ecclesiastes 1:14-18, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** _TBD_ - **Audience:** _TBD_ - **Location:** _TBD_ - **Time period:** _TBD_ ## Theological reading _Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._ ## Key words _Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word._ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ - _TBD_ ## Notes _Your annotations._ ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.