I searched everywhere, determined to find wisdom and to understand the reason for things. I was determined to prove to myself that wickedness is stupid and that foolishness is madness.

我转念，一心要知道，要考察，要寻求智慧和万事的理由；又要知道邪恶为愚昧，愚昧为狂妄。

我转念，一心要知道，要考察，要寻求智慧和万事的来由，要知道邪恶为愚昧，愚昧为狂妄。

我转念，一心要知道，要考察，要寻求智慧和万事的来由，要知道邪恶为愚昧，愚昧为狂妄。

我用心去认识、探究、追寻智慧和事物的原委，并去认识邪恶带来的愚昧和无知带来的狂妄。

我转念，一心去了解、考察并寻觅智慧和事理，又要知道愚蒙是邪恶的，狂妄是愚昧的。

我转去用心了解、探察、寻求智慧和事理，为要明白邪恶是愚昧的、愚昧是狂妄的。

我轉念，一心要知道，要考察，要尋求智慧和萬事的理由；又要知道邪惡為愚昧，愚昧為狂妄。

我轉念，一心要知道，要考察，要尋求智慧和萬事的來由，要知道邪惡為愚昧，愚昧為狂妄。

我轉念，一心要知道，要考察，要尋求智慧和萬事的來由，要知道邪惡為愚昧，愚昧為狂妄。

我用心去認識、探究、追尋智慧和事物的原委，並去認識邪惡帶來的愚昧和無知帶來的狂妄。

我轉念，一心去了解、考察並尋覓智慧和事理，又要知道愚蒙是邪惡的，狂妄是愚昧的。

我心裏轉來轉去要知道、要窺探、要尋求智慧和萬事的總和，要知道邪惡是愚頑，愚昧是狂妄。

我轉去用心了解、探察、尋求智慧和事理，為要明白邪惡是愚昧的、愚昧是狂妄的。

我轉而決志究察智慧、與萬事之原由、欲知惡之為愚、愚之為妄、

我盡心求道、欲知事理之所以、亦欲知愚昧之不善、

我轉而思之、專心欲得知識、欲究萬事、欲求智慧明哲、且欲知何為惡、何為愚、何為拙、何為狂、且欲知何為惡何為愚何為拙何為狂或作且欲知惡之為愚拙之為狂

So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly.

So I tried to understand wisdom more completely. I wanted to study it and figure it out. I tried to find out everything I could about it. I tried to understand why it’s foolish to be evil. I wanted to see why choosing foolishness is so unwise.

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

I turned my thoughts to know, explore, and examine wisdom and an explanation for things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity and folly is madness.

I directed my mind to know and to investigate, and to seek wisdom and an explanation, and to know the evil of foolishness and the foolishness of insanity.

I applied my heart to know, To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things, To know the wickedness of folly, Even of foolishness and madness.

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.

I turned my thoughts to know, explore, and seek wisdom and an explanation for things, and to know that wickedness is stupidity and folly is madness.

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:

I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly.

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.

Fools base their thoughts on foolish assumptions, so their conclusions will be wicked madness;

This, too, I carefully explored: Even though the actions of godly and wise people are in God’s hands, no one knows whether God will show them favor.The same destiny ultimately awaits everyone, whether righteous or wicked, good or bad, ceremonially clean or unclean, religious or irreligious. Good people receive the same treatment as sinners, and people who make promises to God are treated like people who don’t.It seems so wrong that everyone under the sun suffers the same fate. Already twisted by evil, people choose their own mad course, for they have no hope. There is nothing ahead but death anyway.

“ This is my conclusion,” says the Teacher.“ I discovered this after looking at the matter from every possible angle.

In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.And God did not spare the ancient world— except for Noah and the seven others in his family. Noah warned the world of God’s righteous judgment. So God protected Noah when he destroyed the world of ungodly people with a vast flood.Later, God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people.But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him.Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day.So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment.

So I gave up in despair, questioning the value of all my hard work in this world.

So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness( for who can do this better than I, the king?).

I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race.I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless— like chasing the wind.What is wrong cannot be made right. What is missing cannot be recovered.I said to myself,“ Look, I am wiser than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. I have greater wisdom and knowledge than any of them.”So I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly. But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind.

I said to myself,“ Come on, let’s try pleasure. Let’s look for the‘ good things’ in life.” But I found that this, too, was meaningless.So I said,“ Laughter is silly. What good does it do to seek pleasure?”After much thought, I decided to cheer myself with wine. And while still seeking wisdom, I clutched at foolishness. In this way, I tried to experience the only happiness most people find during their brief life in this world.

Lord, you always give me justice when I bring a case before you. So let me bring you this complaint: Why are the wicked so prosperous? Why are evil people so happy?You have planted them, and they have taken root and prospered. Your name is on their lips, but you are far from their hearts.

“ Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.

It is safer to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than to confront a fool caught in foolishness.

I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt!I said to myself,“ In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.”

Meanwhile, Jacob’s sons had come in from the field as soon as they heard what had happened. They were shocked and furious that their sister had been raped. Shechem had done a disgraceful thing against Jacob’s family, something that should never be done.

“ No, my brother!” she cried.“ Don’t be foolish! Don’t do this to me! Such wicked things aren’t done in Israel.

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.

Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires.They will say,“ What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.”They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water.Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood.And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

Both will die. So I said to myself,“ Since I will end up the same as the fool, what’s the value of all my wisdom? This is all so meaningless!”