The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 2:14 Explained

Ecclesiastes 2:14

KJV: The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all.

YLT: The wise! -- his eyes are in his head, and the fool in darkness is walking, and I also knew that one event happeneth with them all;

Darby: The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.

ASV: The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.

Discover Ecclesiastes 2:14

CONTEXT: What is the Context of Ecclesiastes 2:14?

MEANING: What does Ecclesiastes 2:14 Mean?

WORDS: What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 2:14 mean?

RELATIONS: What do the major concepts mean in Ecclesiastes 2:14?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The wise man's  eyes  [are] in his head;  but the fool  walketh  in darkness:  and I myself perceived  also that one  event  happeneth  to them all. 

What does Ecclesiastes 2:14 Mean?

Context Summary

Ecclesiastes 2:1-17 - 24-26, Vain Undertakings
At the beginning of his search for happiness Solomon erected a splendid home and planned all kinds of delights of an artistic and sensuous nature. There were gardens, pools of crystal water, fruit trees, meadows filled with cattle, regal splendor, musicians who poured into the palace their sweet melodies. He went further, adding to architecture and art his intellectual pursuits. But when he had gone to the furthest limit, he turned from it all, with the old gnawing at his heart-Vanity of vanities!
A few days before the death of the great Cardinal Mazarin, he was heard by a friend to utter something of the same sad refrain. "I was walking," says this friend, "in one of the apartments of the palace, when I recognized the approach of the Cardinal by the sound of his slippered feet, which he dragged one after the other as a man suffering from a mortal malady. I concealed myself behind the tapestry and heard him say, as he looked at one picture and rare treasure after another, "˜I must leave all these.'" Let us, in the light of these things, ponder again those words of Christ in Luke 12:33. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 2

1  the vanity of human courses is the work of pleasure
12  Though the wise be better than the fool, yet both have one event
18  The vanity of human labor, in leaving it they know not to whom
24  Nothing better than joy in our labor but that is God's gift

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 2:14 mean?

Of the wise man eyes [are] in his head but the fool in darkness Walks and yet perceived also I that the event one happens to - them all
הֶֽחָכָם֙ עֵינָ֣יו בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ וְהַכְּסִ֖יל בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ הוֹלֵ֑ךְ וְיָדַ֣עְתִּי גַם־ אָ֔נִי שֶׁמִּקְרֶ֥ה אֶחָ֖ד יִקְרֶ֥ה אֶת־ כֻּלָּֽם

הֶֽחָכָם֙  Of  the  wise  man 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָכָם  
Sense: wise, wise (man).
עֵינָ֣יו  eyes  [are] 
Parse: Noun, cdc, third person masculine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
בְּרֹאשׁ֔וֹ  in  his  head 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
וְהַכְּסִ֖יל  but  the  fool 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּסִיל  
Sense: fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one.
בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ  in  darkness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹשֶׁךְ  
Sense: darkness, obscurity.
הוֹלֵ֑ךְ  Walks 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וְיָדַ֣עְתִּי  and  yet  perceived 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
גַם־  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
שֶׁמִּקְרֶ֥ה  that  the  event 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִקְרֶה  
Sense: unforeseen meeting or event, accident, happening, chance, fortune.
אֶחָ֖ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
יִקְרֶ֥ה  happens  to 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָה 
Sense: to encounter, meet, befall, happen, come to meet.
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.
כֻּלָּֽם  them  all 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.

What are the major concepts related to Ecclesiastes 2:14?

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