King James Version

Ecclesiastes 7:25

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

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Hebrew

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סַבּ֨וֹתִֽיsabotibringסָבַבverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “bring”, a completed actionH5437to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figurativelybring, cast, fetch, lead, make, walk, [idiom] whirl, [idiom] round about, be about on every side, apply, avoid, beset (about), besiege, bring again, carry (about), change, cause to come about, [idiom] circuit, (fetch a) compass (about, rou…אֲנִ֤יanimineאֲנִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “mine”H589II, (as for) me, mine, myself, we, [idiom] which, [idiom] who.וְלִבִּי֙velibiand comfortablyלֵבconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “and comfortably”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH3820the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything[phrase] care for, comfortably, consent, [idiom] considered, courag(-eous), friend(-ly), ((broken-), (hard-), (merry-), (stiff-), (stout-), double) heart(-ed), [idiom] heed, [idiom] I, kindly, midst, mind(-ed), [idiom] regard(-ed), [idiom]…לָדַ֣עַתladaatto knowיָדַעpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “to know”, the to-form of the verbH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…וְלָת֔וּרvelaturand to chapתּוּרconjunction, preposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “and to chap”, the to-form of the verbH8446to meander (causatively, guide) about, especially fortrade or reconnoitringchap(-man), sent to descry, be excellent, merchant(-man), search (out), seek, (e-) spy (out).וּבַקֵּ֥שׁuvaqeshand beseechבָּקַשׁconjunction, verb, piel, infinitive construct — “and beseech”, the to-form of the verbH1245to search out (by any method, specifically in worship or prayer); by implication, to strive afterask, beg, beseech, desire, enquire, get, make inquisition, procure, (make) request, require, seek (for).חָכְמָ֖הchakhemahwisdomחׇכְמָהnoun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “wisdom”, the ordinary formH2451wisdom (in a good sense)skilful, wisdom, wisely, wit.וְחֶשְׁבּ֑וֹןvecheshbonand accountחֶשְׁבּוֹןconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and account”, the ordinary formH2808properly, contrivance; by implication, intelligenceaccount, device, reason.וְלָדַ֨עַת֙veladaatand to knowיָדַעconjunction, preposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct — “and to know”, the to-form of the verbH3045to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-) awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, [idiom] could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with…רֶ֣שַׁעreshainiquityרֶשַׁעnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “iniquity”, the ordinary formH7562a wrong (especially moral)iniquity, wicked(-ness).כֶּ֔סֶלkeselloinכֶּסֶלnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “loin”, the ordinary formH3689properly, fatness, i.e. by implication (literally) the loin (as the seat of the leaf fat) or (generally) the viscera; also (figuratively) silliness or (in a good sense) trustconfidence, flank, folly, hope, loin.וְהַסִּכְל֖וּתvehasikhlutand the follyסִכְלוּתconjunction, definite article, noun, common, feminine, singular, absolute — “and the folly”, the ordinary formH5531sillinessfolly, foolishness.הוֹלֵלֽוֹתholelotmadnessהוֹלֵלָהnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “madness”, the ordinary formH1947follymadness.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

I turned about, and applied my heart to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things , and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.

Young’s Literal Translation

I have turned round, also my heart, to know and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and reason, and to know the wrong of folly, and of foolishness the madness.

World English Bible

I turned around, and my heart sought to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the scheme of things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity, and that foolishness is madness.

Darby Translation

I turned, I and my heart, to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and reason, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;

Douay-Rheims

Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

I turned about, and applied my heart to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know wickedness to be folly, and foolishness to be madness;

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account of things , and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐκύκλωσα ἐγὼ καὶ ἡ καρδία μου τοῦ γνῶναι καὶ τοῦ κατασκέψασθαι καὶ τοῦ ζητῆσαι σοφίαν καὶ ψῆφον, καὶ τοῦ γνῶναι ἀσεβοῦς ἀφροσύνην καὶ ὀχληρίαν καὶ περιφοράν.