Parallel Bible results for "ecclesiastes 1"

Ecclesiastes 1

Common English Bible CEB

1 The words of the Teacher of the Assembly, David's son, king in Jerusalem:

2 Perfectly pointless, says the Teacher, perfectly pointless. Everything is pointless.

3 What do people gain from all the hard work that they work so hard at under the sun?

4 A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains as it always has.

5 The sun rises, the sun sets; it returns panting to the place where it dawns.

6 The wind blows to the south, goes around to the north; around and around blows the wind; the wind returns to its rounds again.

7 All streams flow to the sea, but the sea is never full; to the place where the rivers flow, there they continue to flow.

8 All words are tiring; no one is able to speak. The eye isn't satisfied with seeing, neither is the ear filled up by hearing.

9 Whatever has happened—that's what will happen again; whatever has occurred—that's what will occur again. There's nothing new under the sun.

10 People may say about something: "Look at this! It's new!" But it was already around for ages before us.

11 There's no remembrance of things in the past, nor of things to come in the future. Neither will there be any remembrance among those who come along in the future.

12 I am the Teacher. I was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 I applied my mind to investigate and to explore by wisdom all that happens under heaven. It's an unhappy obsession that God has given to human beings.

14 When I observed all that happens under the sun, I realized that everything is pointless, a chasing after wind.

15 What's crooked can't be straightened; what isn't there can't be counted.

16 I said to myself, Look here, I have grown much wiser than any who ruled over Jerusalem before me. My mind has absorbed great wisdom and knowledge.

17 But when I set my mind to understand wisdom, and also to understand madness and folly, I realized that this too was just wind chasing.

18 Remember: In much wisdom is much aggravation; the more knowledge, the more pain.

English Standard Version ESV

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 by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?

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

5 The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.

6 The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.

7 All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.

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

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

10 Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us.

11 There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after.

12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.

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

15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

16 I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has 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 is but a striving after wind.

18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.