Ecclesiastes 1:14

Ecclesiastes 1:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
• New International Version (NIV)I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
• New King James Version (NKJV)I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Context of Ecclesiastes 1:14

12I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. 15What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. 16I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”

Ecclesiastes 1:14 word by word

רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־כָּל־הַֽמַּעֲשִׂ֔ים שֶֽׁנַּעֲשׂ֖וּ תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַכֹּ֛ל הֶ֖בֶל וּרְע֥וּת רֽוּחַ׃Read the interlinear

• I have seenרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
• the worksמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• whichשֶׁלshel · whichH7945
• have been doneעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• underתַּחַתtachath · underneath: underH8478
• the sunשֶׁ֫מֶשׁshemesh · sunH8121
• and beholdהִנֵּהhinnêh · beholdH2009
• vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• and strivingרְעוּתre‛ûth · longingH7469
• after windרוּחַrûach · spirit: breathH7307

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 1:14

• Ecclesiastes 1:17And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind.
• Ecclesiastes 2:11Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.
• 1 Kings 4:30Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the sons of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.
• Psalms 39:5Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14Behold, all is vanity - After all these discussions and experiments, when even the results have been the most successful, I have found only rational satisfaction; but not that supreme good by which alone the soul can be made happy. O curas hominum! O quantum est in rebus inane! "How anxious are our cares, and yet how vain The bent of our desires!" Pers. Sat. i., 5: 1.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Vexation of spirit - A phrase which occurs 7 times, and may be otherwise translated, “feeding on wind.” Modern Hebrew grammarians assert that the word rendered “vexation” must be derived from a root signifying “to feed,” “follow,” “strive after.” This being admitted, it remains to choose between two translations: (1) “striving after wind,” or “windy effort;” adopted by the Septuagint and the majority of modern interpreters; or (2) feeding on wind. Compare…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-18Verses 12-18 Solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. He found his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man's wickedness and misery; so that the…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14a pursuit of the wind.: Life comes and goes quickly, just like the wind.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1414. The reason is here given why investigation into man's "works" is only "sore travail" (Ec 1:13); namely, because all man's ways are vain (Ec 1:18) and cannot be mended (Ec 1:15). vexation of--"a preying upon" the Spirit--Maurer translates; "the pursuit of wind," as in Ec 5:16; Ho 12:1, "Ephraim feedeth on wind." But old versions support the English Version.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 1:14

• Instruction
• Investigation
• Science
• Works

In the dictionaries

• Sun
• Vanity
• Ecclesiastes, the Preacher
• Synagogue, the Great
• teacher, Teacher

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings