Ecclesiastes 8:17 — Compare Translations

27 translations compared side by side

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

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.

English 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.

English Amplified

Then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun--because however much a man may toil in seeking, yet he will not find it out; yes, more than that, though a wise man thinks and claims he knows, yet will he not be able to find it out. [Deut. 29:29; Rom. 11:33.]

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

Then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun–because however much a man may toil in seeking, yet he will not find it out; yes, more than that, though a wise man thinks and claims he knows, yet will he not be able to find it out. [Deut. 29:29; Rom. 11:33.]

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

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.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

I observed all the work of God and concluded that a person is unable to discover the work that is done under the sun. Even though a person labors hard to explore it, he cannot find it; even if a wise person claims to know it, he is unable to discover it.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

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.

English EASY 2024

I thought about everything that God has done. I realized that nobody understands everything that happens on the earth. Even if they try very much, they will not know everything. A wise person may say that he understands all these things. But really that is not possible.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

I also saw the many things that God does, and I saw that people cannot understand all the work that God does on earth. You might try and try to understand, but you cannot. Even if some wise man says he understands what God does, it is not true. No one can understand all this.

then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out. Even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

and never be able to understand what God is doing. However hard you try, you will never find out. The wise may claim to know, but they don't.

English God's Word - GW 1995

then I saw everything that God has done. No one is able to grasp the work that is done under the sun. However hard a person may search for it, he will not find {its meaning}. Even though a wise person claims to know, he is not able to grasp it.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

I observed all the work of God [and concluded] that man is unable to discover the work that is done under the sun. Even though a man labors hard to explore it, he cannot find it; even if the wise man claims to know it, he is unable to discover it.

English KJV 1611

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 farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

English LSB

and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot find out the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not find it out; and though the wise man should say, “I know,” he cannot find it out.

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

then I observed all the work of God, that one cannot understand what is happening under the sun. Though a person may toil in seeking, he will not understand it. Even if a wise man claims to know, he is not able to understand it.

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, "I know," he cannot discover.

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

I recognized that man is unable to find out all God's work that is done under the sun, even though neither by day nor by night do his eyes find rest in sleep. However much man toils in searching, he does not find it out; and even if the wise man says that he knows, he is unable to find it out.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

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.

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

I saw everything God has done. No one can understand what happens on earth. Man might try very hard to figure it out. But he still can't discover what it all means. A wise man might claim he knows. But he can't really understand it either.

English NIV

then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.

English NKJ 1982

then I saw all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. For though a man labors to discover it, yet he will not find it; moreover, though a wise man attempts to know it, he will not be able to find it.

English NLT

This reminded me that no one can discover everything God has created in our world, no matter how hard they work at it. Not even the wisest people know everything, even if they say they do.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

then I saw all the work of God, that no one can find out what is happening under the sun. However much they may toil in seeking, they will not find it out; even though those who are wise claim to know, they cannot find it out.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

then I saw all the work of God, that man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun. However much man may toil in seeking, he will not find it out; even though a wise man claims to know, he cannot find it out.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

(Of course, only God can see everything, and even the wisest man who says he knows everything, doesn't!)

English Tyndale 1537

I understood of all the works of God, that it is not possible for a man, to attain unto works that are done under the Son: and though he bestow his labour to seek them out, yet can he not reach unto them: yea though a wise man would undertake to know them, yet might he not find them.