Parallel Bible results for "ecclesiastes 1"

Ecclesiastes 1

New Revised Standard NRS

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

2 Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

3 What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil 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 hurries to the place where it rises.

6 The wind blows to the south, and goes around to the north; round and round 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 continue to flow.

8 All things are wearisome; more than one can express; the eye is not satisfied with 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 Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has already been, in the ages before us.

11 The people of long ago are not remembered, nor will there be any remembrance of people yet to come by those who come after them.

12 I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem,

13 applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with.

14 I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

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

16 I said to myself, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."

17 And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind.

18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.

The Bible in Basic English BBE

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

2 All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.

3 What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?

4 One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.

5 The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.

6 The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.

7 All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.

8 All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.

9 That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.

11 There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.

12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.

14 I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.

15 That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.

16 I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem--yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.

17 And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.

18 Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.