Parallel ECC 8:17

---

BSB I 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.

OEB gets a glimpse of sleep – then I recognised that man is impotent to discover the meaning of all the work of God that goes on under the sun. However laboriously men search, they will never discover it. A wise man may imagine he is on the point of understanding it, but he can never find it out.

WEB then I saw all the work of God, that man can’t find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won’t find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won’t be able to find it.

NET then I discerned all that God has done:
 ⇔ No one really comprehends what happens on earth.
 ⇔ Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it.
 ⇔ Even if a wise person claimed that he understood,
 ⇔ he would not really comprehend it.

LSV then I considered all the work of God, that man is not able to find out the work that has been done under the sun, because though man labor to seek, yet he does not find; and even though the wise man speak of knowing he is not able to find.

FBV Then I studied everything God does, and I realized that no one can fully understand what happens here. However, hard they try, however wise they claim to be, they can't really comprehend it.

T4T Then I thought about everything [HYP] that God has done, and I realized that no one can understand everything that happens here on this earth. Truly, people are not able to fully understand everything that God understands, even if they try hard to do that. Even if wise people claim that they understand it all, they cannot.

LEB Then I saw all the work of God—man is not able to discover the work that is done under the sun. Although man may toil in seeking, he cannot find it. Even if a wise man claims that he knows it, he cannot find it.

BBE Then I saw all the work of God, and that man may not get knowledge of the work which is done under the sun; because, if a man gives hard work to the search he will not get knowledge, and even if the wise man seems to be coming to the end of his search, still he will be without knowledge.

MOF No MOF ECC book available

JPS then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun; because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

ASV then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

DRA And I understood that man can find no reason of all those works of God that are done under the sun: and the more he shall labour to seek, so much the less shall he find: yea, though the wise man shall say, that he knoweth it, he shall not be able to find it.

YLT then I considered all the work of God, that man is not able to find out the work that hath been done under the sun, because though man labour to seek, yet he doth not find; and even though the wise man speak of knowing he is not able to find.

DBY then I saw that all [is] the work of God, [and] that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however man may labour to seek [it] out, yet doth he not find [it]; and even, if a wise [man] think to know [it], he shall not be able to find [it] out.

RV then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

WBS then I beheld all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because however much a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea moreover, though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

KJB Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

BB I vnderstoode of all the workes of God, but it is not possible for a man to attayne vnto the workes that are done vnder the sunne: and though he bestowe his labour to seeke them out, yet can he not reach vnto them: yea though a wyse man would vndertake to know them, yet shall he not finde them.
  (I understood of all the works of God, but it is not possible for a man to attain unto the works that are done under the sunne: and though he bestowe his labour to seek them out, yet can he not reach unto them: yea though a wise man would undertake to know them, yet shall he not find them.)

GNV Then I behelde the whole worke of God, that man cannot finde out ye worke that is wrought vnder the sunne: for the which man laboureth to seeke it, and cannot finde it: yea, and though the wise man thinke to knowe it, he cannot finde it.
  (Then I beheld the whole work of God, that man cannot find out ye/you_all work that is wrought/done under the sunne: for the which man laboureth to seek it, and cannot find it: yea, and though the wise man thinke to know it, he cannot find it.)

CB I vnderstode of all ye workes of God, that it is not possible for a man, to attayne vnto ye workes that are done vnder ye Sonne: and though he bestowe his laboure to seke them out, yet can he not reach vnto the: yee though a wyse man wolde vndertake to knowe them, yet might he not fynde them.
  (I understood of all ye/you_all works of God, that it is not possible for a man, to attain unto ye/you_all works that are done under ye/you_all Sonne: and though he bestowe his laboure to seek them out, yet can he not reach unto the: ye/you_all though a wise man would undertake to know them, yet might he not find them.)

WYC And Y vndurstood, that of alle the werkis of God, a man may fynde no resoun of tho thingis, that ben don vndur the sunne; and in as myche as he traueilith more to seke, bi so myche he schal fynde lesse; yhe, thouy a wijs man seith that he knowith, he schal not mow fynde.
  (And I understood, that of all the works of God, a man may find no resoun of tho things, that been done under the sunne; and in as much as he traueilith more to seke, by so much he shall find lesse; yea/yes, though a wijs man saith/says that he knowith, he shall not mow fynde.)

LUT Und ich sah alle Werke Gottes. Denn ein Mensch kann das Werk nicht finden, das unter der Sonne geschieht; und je mehr der Mensch arbeitet zu suchen, je weniger er findet. Wenn er gleich spricht: Ich bin weise und weiß es, so kann er‘s doch nicht finden.
  (And I saw all Werke God’s. Because a person kann the Werk not finden, the under the sun geschieht; and je mehr the person arbeitet to suchen, je weniger he findet. Wenn he gleich spricht: I bin weise and weiß es, so kann er‘s though/but not finden.)

CLV Et intellexi quod omnium operum Dei nullam possit homo invenire rationem eorum quæ fiunt sub sole; et quanto plus laboraverit ad quærendum, tanto minus inveniat: etiam si dixerit sapiens se nosse, non poterit reperire.]
  (And intellexi that omnium operum Dei nullam possit human invenire rationem eorum which fiunt sub sole; and quanto plus laboraverit to quærendum, tanto minus inveniat: etiam when/but_if dixerit sapiens se nosse, not/no poterit reperire.])

BRN And I beheld all the works of God, that a man shall not be able to discover the work which is wrought under the sun; whatsoever things a man shall endeavour to seek, however a man may labour to seek it, yet he shall not find it; yea, how much soever a wise man may speak of knowing it, he shall not be able to find it: for I applied all this to my heart, and my heart has seen all this.

BrLXX Καὶ εἶδον σύμπαντα τὰ ποιήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι οὐ δυνήσεται ἄνθρωπος τοῦ εὑρεῖν σὺν τὸ ποίημα τὸ πεποιημένον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον· ὅσα ἂν μοχθήσῃ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ ζητῆσαι, καὶ οὐχ εὑρήσει· καί γε ὅσα ἂν εἴπῃ σοφὸς τοῦ γνῶναι, οὐ δυνήσεται τοῦ εὑρεῖν· ὅτι σύμπαν τοῦτο ἔδωκα εἰς καρδίαν μου, καὶ καρδία μου σύμπαν εἶδε τοῦτο.
  (Kai eidon sumpanta ta poiaʸmata tou Theou, hoti ou dunaʸsetai anthrōpos tou heurein sun to poiaʸma to pepoiaʸmenon hupo ton haʸlion; hosa an moⱪthaʸsaʸ anthrōpos tou zaʸtaʸsai, kai ouⱪ heuraʸsei; kai ge hosa an eipaʸ sofos tou gnōnai, ou dunaʸsetai tou heurein; hoti sumpan touto edōka eis kardian mou, kai kardia mou sumpan eide touto.)