Ecclesiastes, Chapter 1
Click a verse to open it
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 profit has man of 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 about to the north; it turns about continually in its course, and the wind returns again to its circuits.
7
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8
All things are full of weariness; man can't utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9
That which has been is that which will 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 a thing of which one says, See, this is new? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
11
There is no remembrance of the former [generations]; neither will there be any remembrance of the latter [generations] who are to come, among those who will 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 an intense travail that God has given to the sons of man to be exercised with.
14
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, look, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
15
That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be numbered.
16
I communed with my own heart, saying, Look, I have gotten myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem; yes, 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 was a striving after wind.
18
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Search the Bible
Search for any word or phrase. Try christmas, easter, or judgment.