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
The Vanity of Life
1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, #Prov. 1:1king in Jerusalem.
2“Vanity#Ps. 39:5, 6; 62:9; 144:4; Eccl. 12:8 of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“Vanity of vanities, #(Rom. 8:20, 21)all is vanity.”
3#Eccl. 2:22; 3:9What profit has a man from all his labor
In which he toils under the sun?
4One generation passes away, and another generation comes;
#Ps. 104:5; 119:90But the earth abides forever.
5#Ps. 19:4–6The sun also rises, and the sun goes down,
And hastens to the place where it arose.
6#Eccl. 11:5; John 3:8The wind goes toward the south,
And turns around to the north;
The wind whirls about continually,
And comes again on its circuit.
7#(Ps. 104:8, 9; Jer. 5:22)All the rivers run into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full;
To the place from which the rivers come,
There they return again.
8All things are full of labor;
Man cannot express it.
#Prov. 27:20; Eccl. 4:8The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor the ear filled with hearing.
9#Eccl. 3:15That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there anything of which it may be said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been in ancient times before us.
11There is #Eccl. 2:16no remembrance of former things,
Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come
By those who will come after.
The Grief of Wisdom
12I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13And I set my heart to seek and #(Eccl. 7:25; 8:16, 17)search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; #Gen. 3:19; Eccl. 3:10this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised. 14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
15#Eccl. 7:13What is crooked cannot be made straight,
And what is lacking cannot be numbered.
16I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained #1 Kin. 3:12, 13; Eccl. 2:9more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.” 17#Eccl. 2:3, 12; 7:23, 25; (1 Thess. 5:21)And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.
18For #Eccl. 12:12in much wisdom is much grief,
And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.