Ecclesiastes 1
1
Everything is Futile
1The words of the Teacher, # Or of Qoheleth, or of the Leader of the Assembly # Ec 1:12; 7:27; 12:8-10 son of David, king in Jerusalem. # 1Kg 2:12; Pr 1:1
2“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher.
“Absolute futility. Everything is futile.” # Ps 39:5-6; 62:9; 144:4; Ec 12:8; Rm 8:20
3What does a man gain for all his efforts
that he labors at under the sun? # Ec 2:11,22; 3:9; 5:16
4A generation goes and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever. # Ps 104:5; 119:90; 1Jn 2:17
5The sun rises and the sun sets;
panting, it returns to its place # Ps 19:6
where it rises.
6Gusting to the south,
turning to the north,
turning, turning, goes the wind, # Ec 11:5; Jn 3:8
and the wind returns in its cycles.
7All the streams flow to the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
The streams are flowing to the place,
and they flow there again.
8All things # Or words are wearisome;
man is unable to speak.
The eye is not satisfied by seeing # Pr 27:20; Ec 4:8
or the ear filled with hearing.
9What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10Can one say about anything,
“Look, this is new”?
It has already existed in the ages before us.
11There is no remembrance of those who # Or of the things that came before; # Dt 9:14; Ec 2:16; 9:5
and of those who # Or of the things that will come after
there will also be no remembrance
by those who follow them.
The Limitations of Wisdom
12I, the Teacher, # Ec 1:1; 7:27; 12:8-10 have been # Or Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13I applied my mind to seek # Ec 1:17 and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. # 1Kg 4:29-34; Ec 3:10-11; 7:25; 8:17 God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied. # Gn 3:19; Ec 2:23,26; 3:10; 4:8 14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. # Or a feeding on wind, or an affliction of spirit # Pr 27:16; Ec 2:11,17; 4:4; 6:9
15What is crooked cannot be straightened; # Ec 7:13
what is lacking cannot be counted.
16I said to myself, # Lit said with my heart “Look, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me, # 1Kg 3:12; 4:30; 10:23; Ec 2:9 and my mind has thoroughly grasped # Or discerned wisdom and knowledge.” 17I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, # Ec 1:13 madness and folly; # Ec 2:12; 7:25 I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind. # Or a feeding on wind, or an affliction of spirit # Ec 2:11,17; 4:4,6,16; 6:9
18For with much wisdom is much sorrow; # Ec 2:23; 12:12
as knowledge increases, grief increases.
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Ecclesiastes 1: HCSB
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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Ecclesiastes 1
1
Everything Is Meaningless
1The words of the Teacher,#1:1 Or the leader of the assembly; also in verses 2 and 12 son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2“Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”
3What do people gain from all their labors
at which they toil under the sun?
4Generations come and generations go,
but the earth remains forever.
5The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises.
6The wind blows to the south
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
7All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again.
8All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there anything of which one can say,
“Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
11No one remembers the former generations,
and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow them.
Wisdom Is Meaningless
12I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! 14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
15What is crooked cannot be straightened;
what is lacking cannot be counted.
16I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” 17Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
18For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.
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