Ecclesiastes 1
1
1These are the words from the Teacher, a son of David and king of Jerusalem.
2Everything is so meaningless. The Teacher says that it is all a waste of time!#1:2 meaningless … a waste of time The Hebrew word means “vapor or breath” or “something that is useless, meaningless, empty, wrong, or a waste of time.” 3Do people really gain anything from all the hard work they do in this life#1:3 in this life Literally, “under the sun.” Also in verses 9, 13.?
Things Never Change
4People live and people die, but the earth continues forever. 5The sun rises and the sun goes down, and then it hurries to rise again in the same place.
6The wind blows to the south, and the wind blows to the north. The wind blows around and around. Then it turns and blows back to the place it began.
7All rivers flow again and again to the same place. They all flow to the sea, but the sea never becomes full.
8Words cannot fully explain things,#1:8 Words cannot fully explain things Literally, “All words are weak.” but people continue speaking.#1:8 but people continue speaking The Hebrew could also be translated, “People cannot speak.” Words come again and again to our ears, but our ears don’t become full. And our eyes don’t become full of what we see.
Nothing Is New
9All things continue the way they have been since the beginning. The same things will be done that have always been done. There is nothing new in this life.
10Someone might say, “Look, this is new,” but that thing has always been here. It was here before we were.
11People don’t remember what happened long ago. In the future, they will not remember what is happening now. And later, other people will not remember what the people before them did.
Does Wisdom Bring Happiness?
12I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13I decided to study and to use my wisdom to learn about everything that is done in this life. I learned that it is a very hard thing that God has given us to do. 14I looked at everything done on earth, and I saw that it is all a waste of time. It is like trying to catch the wind.#1:14 trying to catch the wind Or “It is very troubling to the spirit.” The word for “troubling” can also mean “craving,” and the word for “spirit” can also mean “wind.” Also in verse 17. 15If something is crooked, you cannot say it is straight. And if something is missing, you cannot say it is there.
16I said to myself, “I am very wise. I am wiser than all the kings who ruled Jerusalem before me. I know what wisdom and knowledge really are.”
17I decided to learn how wisdom and knowledge are better than thinking foolish thoughts. But I learned that trying to become wise is like trying to catch the wind. 18With much wisdom comes frustration. The one who gains more wisdom also gains more sorrow.
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Ecclesiastes 1
1
Introducing the Spokesman
1The words of the spokesman, the son of David and the king in Jerusalem.
The Theme
2“Absolutely pointless!” says the spokesman. “Absolutely pointless! Everything is pointless.”
Life Is an Endless Circle
3What do people gain from all their hard work under the sun?
4Generations come, and generations go,
but the earth lasts forever.
5The sun rises, and the sun sets,
and then it rushes back to the place where it will rise ⌞again⌟.
6The wind blows toward the south and shifts toward the north.
Round and round it blows. It blows in a full circle.
7All streams flow into the sea, but the sea is never full.
The water goes back to the place where the streams began
in order to ⌞start⌟ flowing again.
8All of these sayings are worn-out phrases. They are more than anyone can express, comprehend, or understand.
9Whatever has happened before will happen ⌞again⌟. Whatever has been done before will be done ⌞again⌟. There is nothing new under the sun. 10Can you say that anything is new? It has already been here long before us. 11Nothing from the past is remembered. Even in the future, nothing will be remembered by those who come after us.
The Spokesman Begins to Study Everything under Heaven
12I, the spokesman, have been king of Israel in Jerusalem. 13With all my heart I used wisdom to study and explore everything done under heaven.
The Spokesman’s General Conclusion
Mortals are weighed down with a terrible burden that God has placed on them. 14I have seen everything that is done under the sun. Look at it! It’s all pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.
15No one can straighten what is bent.
No one can count what is not there.
The Spokesman Begins to Study Life
16I thought to myself, “I have grown wiser than anyone who ⌞has ruled⌟ Jerusalem before me. I’ve had a lot of experience with wisdom and knowledge.” 17I’ve used my mind to understand wisdom and knowledge as well as madness and stupidity. ⌞Now⌟ I know that this is ⌞like⌟ trying to catch the wind.
18With a lot of wisdom ⌞comes⌟ a lot of heartache.
The greater ⌞your⌟ knowledge, the greater ⌞your⌟ pain.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.