Ecclesiastes 8:17
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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.

that a man

Ecclesiastes 3:11 He hath made all things good in their time, and hath delivered the world to their consideration, so that man cannot find out the work which God hath made from the beginning to the end.

Ecclesiastes 7:23,24 I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me, . . .

Ecclesiastes 11:5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones are joined together in the womb of her that is with child: so thou knowest not the works of God, who is the maker of all.

Job 5:9 Who doth great things, and unsearchable and wonderful things without number:

Job 11:7-9 Peradventure thou wilt comprehend the steps of God, and wilt find out the Almighty perfectly? . . .

Psalm 40:5 Thou hast multiplied thy wonderful works, O Lord my God: and in thy thoughts there is no one like to thee. I have declared and I have spoken they are multiplied above number.

Psalm 73:16 I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight:

Psalm 104:24 How great are thy works, O Lord ? thou hast made all things in wisdom: the earth is filled with thy riches.

Proverbs 30:3,4 I have not learned wisdom, and have not known the science of saints. . . .

Isaiah 40:28 Knowest thou not, or hast thou not heard? the Lord is the everlasting God, who hath created the ends of the earth: he shall not faint, nor labour, neither is there any searching out of his wisdom.

Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways!

Context
God's Ways are Mysterious
16And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to understand the distraction that is upon earth: for there are some that day and night take no sleep with their eyes. 17And 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.
Cross References
Romans 11:33
O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways!

Psalm 73:16
I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight:

Ecclesiastes 1:13
And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.

Ecclesiastes 3:11
He hath made all things good in their time, and hath delivered the world to their consideration, so that man cannot find out the work which God hath made from the beginning to the end.

Ecclesiastes 7:13
Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.

Ecclesiastes 7:23
I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,

Ecclesiastes 7:24
Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?

Ecclesiastes 11:5
As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones are joined together in the womb of her that is with child: so thou knowest not the works of God, who is the maker of all.

Lexicon
I saw
וְרָאִיתִי֮ (wə·rā·’î·ṯî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's Hebrew 7200: To see

every
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 3605: The whole, all, any, every

work
מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה (ma·‘ă·śêh)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 4639: An action, a transaction, activity, a product, property

of God,
הָאֱלֹהִים֒ (hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

and that
כִּי֩ (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's Hebrew 3588: A relative conjunction

a man
הָאָדָ֗ם (hā·’ā·ḏām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 120: Ruddy, a human being

is unable
לֹ֨א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's Hebrew 3808: Not, no

to comprehend
לִמְצוֹא֙ (lim·ṣō·w)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's Hebrew 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

the work
הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙ (ham·ma·‘ă·śeh)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 4639: An action, a transaction, activity, a product, property

that
אֲשֶׁ֣ר (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's Hebrew 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

is done
נַעֲשָׂ֣ה (na·‘ă·śāh)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 6213: To do, make

under
תַֽחַת־ (ṯa·ḥaṯ-)
Preposition
Strong's Hebrew 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

the sun.
הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ (haš·še·meš)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's Hebrew 8121: The sun, the east, a ray, a notched battlement

Despite
בְּ֠שֶׁל (bə·šel)
Preposition-b | Pronoun - relative
Strong's Hebrew 7945: On account of, whatsoever, whichsoever

[his]
הָאָדָ֛ם (hā·’ā·ḏām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 120: Ruddy, a human being

efforts
יַעֲמֹ֧ל (ya·‘ă·mōl)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 5998: To toil, work severely and with irksomeness

to search it out,
לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ (lə·ḇaq·qêš)
Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's Hebrew 1245: To search out, to strive after

he cannot
וְלֹ֣א (wə·lō)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's Hebrew 3808: Not, no

find [its meaning];
יִמְצָ֑א (yim·ṣā)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present

even
וְגַ֨ם (wə·ḡam)
Conjunctive waw | Conjunction
Strong's Hebrew 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and

if
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's Hebrew 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

the wise
הֶֽחָכָם֙ (he·ḥā·ḵām)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 2450: Wise

man claims
יֹאמַ֤ר (yō·mar)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 559: To utter, say

to know,
לָדַ֔עַת (lā·ḏa·‘aṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's Hebrew 3045: To know

he is unable
לֹ֥א (lō)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's Hebrew 3808: Not, no

to comprehend.
לִמְצֹֽא׃ (lim·ṣō)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's Hebrew 4672: To come forth to, appear, exist, to attain, find, acquire, to occur, meet, be present


Additional Translations
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.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 labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yes farther; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 may labor to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yes further; though a wise man thinketh to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

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.

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.
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Alphabetical: a all and been can cannot claims comprehend concluded Despite discover done efforts Even every God goes has he his I if it its know knows laboriously man meaning No not of on one out really saw say search seek should sun that the then though to under what which will wise work

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