Ecclesiastes 1:13 — Compare All Translations

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.

English ASV

And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

English Amplified

And I applied myself by heart and mind to seek and search out by [human] wisdom all human activity under heaven. It is a miserable business which God has given to the sons of man with which to busy themselves.

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

And I applied myself by heart and mind to seek and search out by [human] wisdom all human activity under heaven. It is a miserable business which God has given to the sons of man with which to busy themselves.

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

I applied my mind to examine and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

And I applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this grievous occupation hath God given to the children of men to weary themselves therewith.

English EASY 2024

I decided to study everything that happens on the earth. I used wisdom to try to understand these things. I realized that God has given people hard work to do, which causes them to suffer.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

I decided to study and to use my wisdom to learn about everything that is done in this life. I learned that it is a very hard thing that God has given us to do.

And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

I determined that I would examine and study all the things that are done in this world. God has laid a miserable fate upon us.

English God's Word - GW 1995

With all my heart I used wisdom to study and explore everything done under heaven. Mortals are weighed down with a terrible burden that God has placed on them.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

I applied my mind to seek and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied.

English KJV 1611

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

English LSB

And I gave my heart to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous endeavor which God has given to the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

I set my heart to seek and to investigate with wisdom everything that is done under heaven. It is a burdensome task that God has given to humanity to be occupied with.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

and I applied my mind to search and investigate in wisdom all things that are done under the sun. A thankless task God has appointed for men to be busied about.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

I spent all of my time studying. I used my wisdom to check everything out. I looked into everything that is done on earth. What a heavy load God has put on men!

English NIV

I devoted myself to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid on men!

English NKJ 1982

And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.

English NLT

I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done in the world. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

And I applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

And I applied myself to search for understanding about everything in the universe. I discovered that the lot of man, which God has dealt to him, is not a happy one.

English Tyndale 1537

applied my mind to seek out and search for the knowledge of all things that are done under heaven. Such travail and labor hath God given to the children of men, to exercise themselves therein.

Ecclesiastes 1:13 — Compare Translations