Ecclesiastes 7:23

23 I used wisdom to put all of those things to the test. I said, "I've made up my mind to be wise." But it was more than I could accomplish.

Ecclesiastes 7:23 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 7:23

All this have I proved by wisdom
Referring either to all that he had been discoursing of hitherto in this book, concerning the vanity of natural wisdom and knowledge, of pleasure, power, and riches; or to the several useful instructions given in this chapter, particularly concerning patiently bearing everything from the hands of God or men, ( Ecclesiastes 7:8-22 ) . This, by the help and use of that wisdom which God had given him, he had made trial of, and found it to be right, and therefore recommended it to others; though he acknowledges that, with all his wisdom, he was from perfection; I said, I will be wise; but it [was] far from me;
he determined, if possible, to attain to the perfection of wisdom, and made use of all means to come at it; that he might know all the works of God in creation, the nature, use, and excellency of them; in providence, his different dispensations towards the sons of men, and the causes of them; and in grace, the redemption and salvation of men, and the mysteries thereof; but the more he knew, the more he was convinced of his own ignorance, and seemed further off from the summit of knowledge than he was before; and plainly saw, that perfection in wisdom is not attainable in this life. The Targum restrains this to the wisdom of the law; but it is better to understand it in a more general sense.

Ecclesiastes 7:23 In-Context

21 Don't pay attention to everything people say. If you do, you might hear your servant calling down a curse on you.

22 Many times you yourself have called down curses on others. Deep down inside, you know that's true.

23 I used wisdom to put all of those things to the test. I said, "I've made up my mind to be wise." But it was more than I could accomplish.

24 No matter what else wisdom may be, it's far away and very deep. Who can find it?

25 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.