Ecclesiastes Chapter 1

The Futility of All Endeavors

1The wordsH1697 of the 1PreacherH6953, the sonH1121 of DavidH1732, kingH4428 in JerusalemH3389.2“2FutilityH1892 of futilitiesH1892,” saysH559 the PreacherH6953, “FutilityH1892 of futilitiesH1892! AllH3605 is futilityH1892.”

33WhatH4100 advantageH3504 does a personH120 have in allH3605 his workH5999 WhichH7945 he doesH5998 underH8478 the sunH8121?4A generationH1755 goesH1980 and a generationH1755 comesH935, But the 4earthH776 5remainsH5975 foreverH5769.5Also, 6the sunH8121 risesH2224 and the sunH8121 setsH935; And 7hurryingH7602 to its placeH4725 it risesH2224 thereH8033 again.689BlowingH1980 towardH413 the southH1864, Then turningH5437 towardH413 the northH6828, The windH7307 continuesH1980 10swirlingH5437 alongH1980; And on its circularH5439 coursesH5439 the windH7307 returnsH7725.7AllH3605 the riversH5158 11flowH1980 into the seaH3220, Yet the seaH3220 is not fullH4392. To the placeH4725 whereH7945 the riversH5158 12flowH1980, ThereH8033 they 13flowH1980 againH7725.8AllH3605 thingsH1697 are wearisomeH3023; NoH3808 oneH376 canH3201 tellH1696 it. 14The eyeH5869 isH7646 not satisfiedH7646 with seeingH7200, NorH3808 is the earH241 filledH4390 with hearingH8085.915WhatH4100 has beenH1961, it is whatH7945 will be, And whatH4100 has been doneH6213, it is whatH7945 will be doneH6213. So thereH369 isH369 nothingH369H3605 newH2319 underH8478 the sunH8121.10IsH3426 thereH3426 anythingH1697 of whichH7945 one might sayH559, “SeeH7200 thisH2088, it is newH2319”? It has alreadyH3528 existedH1961 for agesH5769 WhichH834 were beforeH4480H6440 us.11ThereH369 isH369 16noH369 remembranceH2146 of the 17earlierH7223 thingsH7223, And of the laterH314 thingsH314 asH1571 wellH1571, whichH7945 will occurH1961, There will be noH3808 remembranceH2146 of them AmongH5973 those whoH7945 will comeH1961 laterH314 still.

The Futility of Wisdom

12I, the 18PreacherH6953, have beenH1961 kingH4428 overH5921 IsraelH3478 in JerusalemH3389. 13And I 19setH5414 my 20mindH3820 to seekH1875 and 21exploreH8446 by wisdomH2451 aboutH5921 everythingH3605 that has been doneH6213 underH8478 heavenH8064. It is a 2223sorryH7451 taskH6045 with which GodH430 has givenH5414 the sonsH1121 of mankindH120 to beH6030 troubledH6030. 14I have seenH7200 allH3605 the worksH4639 whichH7945 have been doneH6213 underH8478 the sunH8121, and beholdH2009, allH3605 is 24futilityH1892 and strivingH7469 after windH7307. 15What is 25crookedH5791 cannotH3201H3808 be straightenedH8626, and whatH2642 isH2642 lackingH2642 cannotH3201H3808 be countedH4487.

16I 26saidH1696 to myselfH3820, “BeholdH2009, I have magnifiedH1431 and increasedH3254 27wisdomH2451 moreH5921 thanH5921 allH3605 whoH834 were overH5921 JerusalemH3389 beforeH6440 me; and my 28mindH3820 has observedH7200 29a wealthH7235 of wisdomH2451 and knowledgeH1847.” 17And I 30appliedH5414 my 31mindH3820 to knowH3045 wisdomH2451 and to 32knowH3045 insanityH1947 and foolishnessH5531; I realizedH3045 that thisH2088 alsoH1571 is 33strivingH7475 after windH7307. 18BecauseH3588 34in muchH7230 wisdomH2451 there is muchH7230 griefH3708; and increasingH3254 knowledgeH1847 results in increasingH3254 painH4341.