Bible Verses About Investigation

And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It is a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.

I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit!

A crooked thing one is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.

I--I spake with my heart, saying, `I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.

And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this is vexation of spirit;

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

I said in my heart, `Pray, come, I try thee with mirth, and look thou on gladness;' and lo, even it is vanity.

Of laughter I said, `Foolish!' and of mirth, `What is this it is doing?'

I have sought in my heart to draw out with wine my appetite, (and my heart leading in wisdom), and to take hold on folly till that I see where is this--the good to the sons of man of that which they do under the heavens, the number of the days of their lives.

I made great my works, I builded for me houses, I planted for me vineyards.

I made for me gardens and paradises, and I planted in them trees of every fruit.

I made for me pools of water, to water from them a forest shooting forth trees.

I got men-servants, and maid-servants, and sons of the house were to me; also, I had much substance--herd and flock--above all who had been before me in Jerusalem.

I gathered for me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces. I prepared for me men-singers and women-singers, and the luxuries of the sons of man--a wife and wives.

And I became great, and increased above every one who had been before me in Jerusalem; also, my wisdom stood with me.

And all that mine eyes asked I kept not back from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour, and this hath been my portion, from all my labour,

and I have looked on all my works that my hands have done, and on the labour that I have laboured to do, and lo, the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun!

And I turned to see wisdom, and madness, and folly, but what is the man who cometh after the king? that which is already--they have done it!

And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out--he made right many similes.

The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written by the upright, words of truth.

Words of the wise are as goads, and as fences planted by the masters of collections, they have been given by one shepherd.

And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

The end of the whole matter let us hear: --`Fear God, and keep His commands, for this is the whole of man.

For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'