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
1The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
2Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
3What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
5The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
6Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.
7All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.
8All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.
9What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.
10Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.
11There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.
12I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,
13And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.
14I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
15The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
16I have spoken in my heart, saying: Behold I am become great, and have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem: and my mind hath contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
17And I have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and vexation of spirit,
18Because In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.