Parallel Bible results for "ecclesiastes 1"

Ecclesiastes 1

American Standard Version ASV

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

3 What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?

4 One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever.

5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.

6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.

7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.

8 All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

9 That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us.

11 There is no remembrance of the former [generations]; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter [generations] that are to come, among those that shall come after.

12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

16 I communed with mine own hear, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.

18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB

1 The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 "Absolute futility," says the Teacher. "Absolute futility. Everything is futile."

3 What does a man gain for all his efforts he labors at under the sun?

4 A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.

5 The sun rises and the sun sets; panting, [it returns] to its place where it rises.

6 Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind, and the wind returns in its cycles.

7 All the streams flow to the sea, yet the sea is never full. The streams are flowing to the place, and they flow there again.

8 All things are wearisome; man is unable to speak. The eye is not satisfied by seeing or the ear filled with hearing.

9 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.

10 Can one say about anything, "Look, this is new"? It has already existed in the ages before us.

11 There is no memory of those who came before; and of those who will come after there will also be no memory among those who follow [them].

12 I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 I applied my mind to seek and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied.

14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

15 What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.

16 I said to myself, "Look, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has thoroughly grasped wisdom and knowledge."

17 I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly; I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind.

18 For with much wisdom is much sorrow; as knowledge increases, grief increases.