---
title: "Ecclesiastes 2:13-16 KJV - \"Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly...\" | Real Bible Believers"
description: "\"Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walk\" — Read Ecclesiastes 2:13-16 in the King James Version (KJV) with commentary, cross references, and Greek/Hebrew lexicon."
image: "/_app/immutable/assets/missing.C7wGMEZ6.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/kjv/ecclesiastes/2/13-16"
---

[ Read](/kjv/ecclesiastes/2)[ Commentary](/study/ecclesiastes/2)[ Interlinear](/interlinear/ecclesiastes/2) Audio

## Ecclesiastes 2:13-16 in Context (Verses 10–19 KJV)
 
 [10 ](/kjv/ecclesiastes/2/10) And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.
 
 [11 ](/kjv/ecclesiastes/2/11) Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all *was* vanity and vexation of spirit, and *there was* no profit under the sun.
 
 [12 ](/kjv/ecclesiastes/2/12) ¶ And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what *can* the man *do* that cometh after the king? *even* that which hath been already done.*
 
 [13 ](/kjv/ecclesiastes/2/13) Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness.*
 
 [14 ](/kjv/ecclesiastes/2/14) 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.
 
 [15 ](/kjv/ecclesiastes/2/15) Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also *is* vanity.*
 
 [16 ](/kjv/ecclesiastes/2/16) For *there is* no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now *is* in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise *man*? as the fool.
 
 [17 ](/kjv/ecclesiastes/2/17) Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun *is* grievous unto me: for all *is* vanity and vexation of spirit.
 
 [18 ](/kjv/ecclesiastes/2/18) ¶ Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.*
 
 [19 ](/kjv/ecclesiastes/2/19) And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise *man* or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This *is* also vanity.
 
[Ecclesiastes 1](/kjv/ecclesiastes/1) [Ecclesiastes 3](/kjv/ecclesiastes/3)

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