Ecclesiastes 1
1
All Is Vanity
1#Ecc 1:12; 7:27; 12:8–10These are the words of the Preacher, the son of David and king in Jerusalem.
2#Ecc 12:8; Ro 8:20 “Vanity#Heb. suggests something futile, temporal, or obscure. of vanities,”
says the Preacher;
“vanity of vanities,
all is vanity.”
3#Ecc 2:11; 3:9 What benefit is there to a man in all his labors
that he toils under the sun?
4#Ps 104:5 A generation comes, and a generation goes,
but the earth continually remains.
5#Ps 19:4–6 The sun comes up, and the sun goes down,
and hurries to the place where it rises.
6#Jn 3:8 It moves to the south,
and then moves around to the north;
the wind continually travels around,
and it keeps turning on its circuit.
7All the streams flow into the sea,
and the sea is never filled up.
And to the place where the streams flow,
there they continually return to flow.
8#Pr 27:20; Ecc 4:8 All matters are wearisome;
a man is not able to speak to them.
The eye is not satisfied with what it sees,
and the ear is not content with what it hears.
9#Ecc 3:15; 2:12 What has been is the same as what will be,
and what has been done is the same as what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there a matter where it is said,
“See, this is truly new”?
Long ago in the past
every matter has already been in our midst.
11#Ecc 2:16 There is not a memory for the former things,
and moreover, there will not be
a memory for the things coming after,
even those things that are yet to come.
The Burden of Wisdom
12#Ecc 1:1I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13#Ecc 3:10; 1:17; Ge 3:19I set my heart to seek and to investigate with wisdom everything that is done under heaven. It is a burdensome task that God has given to the sons of men, by which they may be occupied. 14#Ecc 2:11; 2:17I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and indeed, all is vanity and like chasing the wind.
15What is bent cannot be straightened,
and what is missing cannot be counted.
16#1Ki 4:30; Ecc 2:9I spoke in my heart, saying, “I have been great and increased in wisdom more than anyone else who has been before me in Jerusalem, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17#Ecc 2:3And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know the folly of ideas and to know foolish behavior, and I know that this as well is like chasing the wind.
18For in an abundance of wisdom is an abundance of frustration,
and he who increases in knowledge also increases in sorrow.
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Ecclesiastes 1: MEV
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Military Bible Association
Ecclesiastes 1
1
1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity. 3What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun? 4One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever. 5The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth. 6The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits. 7All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again. 8All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 9That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us. 11There is no remembrance of the former generations; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter generations that are to come, among those that shall come after.
12I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith. 14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. 15That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. 16I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. 17And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind. 18For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
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