Ecclesiastes 1:16 — Bible Verse (KJV)

“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.”

Ecclesiastes 1:16 — King James Version (KJV), 1611

Ecclesiastes 1:16 in 6 Bible Translations

Read Ecclesiastes 1:16 in the King James Version (KJV) and 5 other free, public-domain translations side by side.

Ecclesiastes 1:16 WEB — World English Bible (2000)

“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.””

Ecclesiastes 1:16 — World English Bible

Ecclesiastes 1:16 ASV — American Standard Version (1901)

“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. ”

Ecclesiastes 1:16 — American Standard Version

Ecclesiastes 1:16 YLT — Young's Literal Translation (1862)

“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.”

Ecclesiastes 1:16 — Young's Literal Translation

Ecclesiastes 1:16 DBY — Darby Translation (1890)

“I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have acquired wisdom more than all they that have been before me over Jerusalem; and my heart hath seen much of wisdom and knowledge. ”

Ecclesiastes 1:16 — Darby Translation

Ecclesiastes 1:16 GEN — Geneva Bible (1599)

“I thought in mine heart, and said, Behold, I am become great, and excell in wisdome all them that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine heart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge.”

Ecclesiastes 1:16 — Geneva Bible

Ecclesiastes 1:16 in Context — Ecclesiastes 1

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.

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.

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.

Read the full chapter: Ecclesiastes 1 — Paul's Introduction — Not Ashamed of the Gospel →

What Does Ecclesiastes 1:16 Mean?

Ecclesiastes 1:16 is a verse from the Book of Ecclesiastes, part of the Old Testament. It appears in Ecclesiastes chapter 1. Use The Living Sword's word-by-word study mode to explore every word in the original Hebrew and Aramaic.

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