The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 8:17 Explained

Ecclesiastes 8:17

KJV: 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.

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.

Darby: 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.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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]. 

What does Ecclesiastes 8:17 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 8

1  true wisdom is modest
2  Kings are to be respected
6  Divine providence is to be observed
12  It is better with the godly in adversity, than with the wicked in prosperity
16  The work of God is unsearchable

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 8:17 mean?

Then I saw - all the work of God that not cannot a man find out the work that is done under the sun For though labors a man to discover [it] and yet not he will find [it] and moreover though attempts a wise [man] to know [it] he will be able to find [it]
וְרָאִיתִי֮ אֶת־ כָּל־ מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה הָאֱלֹהִים֒ כִּי֩ לֹ֨א יוּכַ֜ל הָאָדָ֗ם לִמְצוֹא֙ הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נַעֲשָׂ֣ה תַֽחַת־ הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ בְּ֠שֶׁל אֲשֶׁ֨ר יַעֲמֹ֧ל הָאָדָ֛ם לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָ֑א וְגַ֨ם אִם־ יֹאמַ֤ר הֶֽחָכָם֙ לָדַ֔עַת יוּכַ֖ל לִמְצֹֽא

וְרָאִיתִי֮  Then  I  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַעֲשֵׂ֣ה  the  work 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
הָאֱלֹהִים֒  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
כִּי֩  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יוּכַ֜ל  cannot 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָכֹל  
Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.
הָאָדָ֗ם  a  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
לִמְצוֹא֙  find  out 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
הַֽמַּעֲשֶׂה֙  the  work 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַעֲשֶׂה  
Sense: deed, work.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
נַעֲשָׂ֣ה  is  done 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
תַֽחַת־  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
הַשֶּׁ֔מֶשׁ  the  sun 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  though 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יַעֲמֹ֧ל  labors 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַל  
Sense: to labour, toil.
הָאָדָ֛ם  a  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָדָם 
Sense: man, mankind.
לְבַקֵּ֖שׁ  to  discover  [it] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
וְלֹ֣א  and  yet  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
יִמְצָ֑א  he  will  find  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
וְגַ֨ם  and  moreover 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אִם־  though 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
יֹאמַ֤ר  attempts 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הֶֽחָכָם֙  a  wise  [man] 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
לָדַ֔עַת  to  know  [it] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
יוּכַ֖ל  he  will  be  able 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָכֹל  
Sense: to prevail, overcome, endure, have power, be able.
לִמְצֹֽא  to  find  [it] 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.