The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 1:18 Explained

Ecclesiastes 1:18

KJV: For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

YLT: for, in abundance of wisdom is abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'

Darby: For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

ASV: For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For in much  wisdom  [is] much  grief:  and he that increaseth  knowledge  increaseth  sorrow. 

What does Ecclesiastes 1:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 - The Testimony Of An Unsatisfied Soul
All is vanity! This cry finds an echo in human hearts of every age and clime. Clod meant man to be happy. "These things," said our Lord, "I have spoken to you, that your joy may be full." "The fruit of the Spirit is joy." Yet the air is laden with complaint and bitterness. Men are asking constantly, "Is life worth living?" The present age is full of unrest and weariness, of war and strife, of unsatisfied yearnings and desires. The mistake is that men seek to solve the mystery of life and to find their happiness apart from God, who has made us for Himself.
This book was written and incorporated in the Bible to show that man's quest for happiness is vain, so long as it is apart from God. Solomon had unbounded opportunities for pursuing his quest. Youth, wealth, wisdom, royalty, human love were his, but when all were mixed in the golden cup of his life, he turned from the draught unsatisfied and sad. Listen to the sigh of the sated voluptuary: Vanity of vanities! Let us turn from these bitter experiences to 1 John 2:15-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 1

1  the preacher shows that all human courses are vain
4  because the creatures are restless in their courses
9  they bring forth nothing new, and all old things are forgotten
12  and because he has found it so in the studies of wisdom

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 1:18 mean?

For in much wisdom [is] much grief and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow
כִּ֛י בְּרֹ֥ב חָכְמָ֖ה רָב־ כָּ֑עַס וְיוֹסִ֥יף דַּ֖עַת יוֹסִ֥יף מַכְאֽוֹב

בְּרֹ֥ב  in  much 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רֹב  
Sense: multitude, abundance, greatness.
חָכְמָ֖ה  wisdom 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חָכְמָה  
Sense: wisdom.
רָב־  [is]  much 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
כָּ֑עַס  grief 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כַּעַס 
Sense: anger, vexation, provocation, grief.
וְיוֹסִ֥יף  and  he  who  increases 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
דַּ֖עַת  knowledge 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: דַּעַת 
Sense: knowledge.
יוֹסִ֥יף  increases 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָסַף 
Sense: to add, increase, do again.
מַכְאֽוֹב  sorrow 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מַכְאֹב  
Sense: pain, sorrow.