The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Ecclesiastes 01
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of
David, king in Jerusalem:
2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What does man gain from all his labor
in which he labors under the sun?
4 One generation goes, and another generation comes; but
the earth remains forever.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes
down, and hurries to its place where it
rises.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and
turns around to the north. It turns around
continually as it goes, andthe windreturns
again to its courses.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the
sea isnotfull. To the place where the rivers
flow, there they flow again.
8 All things are full of weariness beyond
uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which has been is that which shall
be, and that which has been done is that
which shall be done; and there is no new
thing under the sun.
10 Is there a thing of which it may be said,
“Behold,† this is new”? It has been long
ago, in the ages which were before us.
11 There is no memory of the former;
neither shall there be any memory of the
latter that are to come, among those that
shall come after.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in
Jerusalem.
13 I applied my heart to seek and to
search out by wisdom concerning all that
is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden
that God‡ has given to the sons of men to be
afflicted with.
14 I have seen all the works that are done
under the sun; and behold, allis vanity and
a chasing after wind.
15 That which is crooked can’t be made
straight; and that which is lacking can’t be
counted.
16 I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained
for myself great wisdom above all
who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my
heart has had great experience of wisdom
and knowledge.”
17 I applied my heart to know wisdom,
and to know madness and folly. I perceived
that this also was a chasing after wind.
18 For inmuch wisdomismuchgrief; and
he who increases knowledge increases
sorrow.