Berean Standard Bible

Ecclesiastes 1

1These are the wordsH1697 of the TeacherH6953,1 the sonH1121 of DavidH1732, kingH4428 in JerusalemH3389:

2“FutilityH1892 2 of futilitiesH1892,”saysH559 the TeacherH6953,“futilityH1892 of futilitiesH1892!EverythingH3605 is futileH1892!”

3WhatH4100 does a manH120 gainH3504 from allH3605 his laborH5999,at which he toilsH5998 underH8478 the sunH8121?4GenerationsH1755 comeH1980 and generationsH1755 goH935,but the earthH776 remainsH5975 foreverH5769.5The sunH8121 risesH2224 and the sunH8121 setsH935;it hurries backH7602 H413 toH4725 whereH8033 itH1931 risesH2224.6The windH7307 blowsH1980 southwardH413 H1864,then turnsH5437 northwardH413 H6828;roundH5437 and roundH5437 it swirlsH1980,ever returningH7725 onH5921 its courseH5439.7AllH3605 the riversH5158 flowH1980 intoH413 the seaH3220,yet the seaH3220 is neverH369 fullH4392;toH413 the placeH4725 from which the streamsH5158 comeH1980,thereH8033 againH7725 theyH1992 flowH1980.

8AllH3605 thingsH1697 are wearisomeH3023,moreH3808 H3201 than oneH376 can describeH1696;the eyeH5869 is notH3808 satisfiedH7646 with seeingH7200,norH3808 the earH241 contentH4390 with hearingH8085.9WhatH4100 has beenH1961 will be againH1931 H1961,and whatH4100 has been doneH6213 will be done againH6213;there is nothingH369 H3605 newH2319 underH8478 the sunH8121.10Is thereH3426 a case where one can sayH559 H1697,“LookH7200, thisH2088 is newH2319”?ItH1931 has alreadyH3528 existedH1961in the agesH5769 before usH6440.11There is noH369 remembranceH2146of those who came beforeH7223 H1571,and those yet to comeH314 will not beH1961 H3808 rememberedH2146byH5973 those whoH1961 followH1961 afterH314.

With Wisdom Comes Sorrow

12IH589, the TeacherH6953, wasH1961 kingH4428 overH5921 IsraelH3478 in JerusalemH3389. 13And I setH5414 my mindH3820 to seekH1875 and exploreH8446 by wisdomH2451 H5921 allH3605 thatH834 is doneH6213 underH8478 heavenH8064. WhatH1931 a miserableH7451 taskH6045 GodH430 has laidH5414 upon the sonsH1121 of menH120 to occupy themH6031!

14I have seenH7200 allH3605 the thingsH4639 that are doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121, and have found themH2009 allH3605 to be futileH1892, a pursuitH7469 of the windH7307.

15What is crookedH5791 cannotH3808 H3201 be straightenedH8626,and what is lackingH2642 cannotH3808 H3201 be countedH4487.

16IH589 saidH1696 toH5973 myselfH3820 H559, “BeholdH2009, IH589 have grownH1431 and increasedH3254 in wisdomH2451 beyondH5921 allH3605 thoseH834 before meH6440 who wereH1961 overH5921 JerusalemH3389, and my mindH3820 has observedH7200 a wealthH7235 of wisdomH2451 and knowledgeH1847.”

17So I setH5414 my mindH3820 to knowH3045 wisdomH2451 and madnessH1947 and follyH5531; I learnedH3045 thatH2088 thisH1931, tooH1571, is a pursuitH7475 of the windH7307.

18ForH3588 with muchH7230 wisdomH2451 comes muchH7227 sorrowH3708,and as knowledgeH1847 growsH3254, griefH4341 increasesH3254.

1. Ecclesiastes 1:1 Or the Convener or the Preacher or the leader of the assembly; Hebrew Qoheleth is rendered as the Teacher throughout Ecclesiastes. ↩
2. Ecclesiastes 1:2 Literally vapor or breath; the Hebrew words translated in Ecclesiastes as forms of futile or fleeting can also be translated as vanity or meaningless. ↩