Ecclesiastes 1
1
Ecclesiastes 1
Reflections of a Royal Philosopher
1 #
v 12
; Eccl 7.27; 12.8–10The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 #
Ps 39.5, 6; 62.9; 144.4; Eccl 12.8 Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 #
Eccl 2.22; 3.9 What do people gain from all the toil
at which they toil under the sun?
4 #
Ps 104.5; 119.90 A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.
5 #
Ps 19.5, 6 The sun rises, and the sun goes down
and hurries to the place where it rises.
6 #
Eccl 11.5; Jn 3.8 The wind blows to the south
and goes around to the north;
round and round goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.
7All streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they continue to flow.
8 #
Prov 27.20
All things#1.8 Or words are wearisome,
more than one can express;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing
or the ear filled with hearing.
9 #
Eccl 2.12; 3.15 What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there a thing of which it is said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been
in the ages before us.
11The people of long ago are not remembered,
nor will there be any remembrance
of people yet to come
by those who come after them.
The Futility of Seeking Wisdom
12I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13#v 17; Eccl 3.10I applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to humans to be busy with. 14#Eccl 2.11, 17I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun, and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15 #
Eccl 7.13
What is crooked cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 #
1 Kings 3.12, 13; 4.30; 10.23; Eccl 2.9 I said to myself, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17#Eccl 2.3, 12; 7.23, 25And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind.
18 #
Eccl 12.12
For in much wisdom is much vexation,
and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.
Currently Selected:
Ecclesiastes 1: NRSVUE
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, copyright © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
