More Wisdom More Knowledge Is Very Dangerous

Ecclesiastes 1:18
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.

New Living Translation
The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow.

Amplified Bible
For in much [human] wisdom there is much displeasure and exasperation; increasing knowledge increases sorrow.

Christian Standard Bible
For with much wisdom is much sorrow; as knowledge increases, grief increases.

Contemporary English Version
The more you know, the more you hurt; the more you understand, the more you suffer.

Good News Translation
The wiser you are, the more worries you have; the more you know, the more it hurts.

New King James Version
For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

King Solomon the wisest man on earth is the author of these words. He tells us that human wisdom and worldly knowledge when amassed in large amounts would not improve life. Solomon tells us that life is already designed by God and we can’t outdo God by having more of anything. More riches and more wealth will never bring happiness nor prevent death when it’s due. Therefore it is wise to be satisfied with enough of just what you need for comfort as we transit through life. What is said of riches and wealth is also true of wisdom and knowledge, more or excess doesn’t really improve life, in fact, it makes it worse. More wisdom more knowledge is very dangerous!

Solomon is not fully dismissing the need for wisdom and knowledge. Solomon discourages us from having faith in wisdom and knowledge and forgetting God. No amount of wisdom and knowledge can replace God in your life. You just need enough wisdom and knowledge to survive but not to replace God. We go for more thinking it will replace God by doing what God should do. Only God can ultimately make our life better and not wisdom and knowledge. This is about the supremacy of God over wisdom and knowledge. More wisdom more knowledge is very dangerous!

Greed is when you want more than you need. We easily see greed in material things. Solomon points at the greed in wisdom and knowledge. Greed makes life difficult for the greedy. They get too much but they don’t get satisfied. That lack of satisfaction frustrates them yet they already have more than they need. Satisfaction becomes elusive to the greedy. Life becomes unbearable since more of what they got has changed nothing as they expected. Greed is a vice. Beware of greed even for wisdom and knowledge. More wisdom more knowledge is very dangerous!

Wisdom and knowledge like oxygen are only useful when it’s enough. More oxygen can kill. More oxygen than you need doesn’t improve life or make it better. More oxygen can’t prevent death. You just need enough oxygen to survive while life itself sustained by God. You just need enough wisdom and knowledge to survive while we surrender the rest to God. More wisdom more knowledge is very dangerous!

Solomon goes further to tell us that more wisdom and knowledge cause misery. When you are too wise you get stressed and frustrated at how foolish people are. Too much wisdom eventually concludes that even itself is not necessary for a good life. Pursuing wisdom alone puts us in a vicious cycle that brings us to the same point we were before getting wiser. Knowledge when increased would stress the mind with concern for more and would never grant peace. Eventually, only faith in God can bring satisfaction and peace. More wisdom more knowledge is very dangerous!

More knowledge about how food is prepared in a restaurant, the risks involved, the small accidents, the undiagnosed health of the cooks, the cook’s mental health, etc., would not make us enjoy the meals. More knowledge on how planes fly, what can go wrong, the pilot’s life, the pilot’s performance in school, etc., will not make us enjoy life. More knowledge on nuclear weapons and how an accident can obliterate all of us doesn’t make us happy. More knowledge of world events, listening to every bit of news doesn’t bring pleasure. More knowledge on risks your children take while they are away from you will deny you peace. More knowledge on every detail of your spouse while away may deny you peace. Solomon who is wiser than all of us and who was inspired by God to write all these tells us that more knowledge will make life worse. More wisdom more knowledge is very dangerous!

We were not designed by God to operate on more. We were designed to operate on enough and then trust God and trust each other. We are happier with trust than more wisdom and knowledge. When we trust God to protect us and we trust that the taxi driver is good, we go about life happier than when we seek more knowledge. Trusting the leaders, trusting your children and spouse brings more happiness and peace than more knowledge. More wisdom more knowledge is very dangerous!

We are at peace when we take the medication in the hospital without too much knowledge. If you seek more knowledge about the previous academic performance of the doctor you may doubt the prescription. We trust those who assessed and hired them. If we investigate how each drug was manufactured we may never take medication. If we knew who else used the hospital bed before us, we wouldn’t be happier. More wisdom more knowledge is very dangerous!

Dear God, grant me what is enough for my happiness and peace. Grant me enough material, Wisdom, and knowledge. Save me from the unhealthy appetite for more that eventually makes life unbearable. May I trust You and May I find satisfaction with what is enough, in Jesus’s name, Amen!

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