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.
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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