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Ecclesiastes 1

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

2"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."

3What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

4One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

5The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.

6The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.

7All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.

8All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

9That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

10Is there a thing of which it may be said, "Behold, this is new?" It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.

11There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.

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

13I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

15That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be counted.

16I said to myself, "Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."

17I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.

18For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

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Key Words and Topics

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Related Topics

Covetousness: General Scriptures Concerning Ecclesiastes 1:2–8

“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!” / What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun? / Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.

Deja Vu Ecclesiastes 1:9–11

What has been will be again, and what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. / Is there a case where one can say, “Look, this is new”? It has already existed in the ages before us. / There is no remembrance of those who came before, and those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow after.

Experience: Solomon's Ecclesiastes 1:2

“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”

Instruction: from Nature Ecclesiastes 1:13–18

And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them! / I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. / What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

Investigation: General Scriptures Concerning Ecclesiastes 1:13–18

And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them! / I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. / What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

Man: Spirit Ecclesiastes 1:8

All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.

Pleasure: Worldly Ecclesiastes 1:17

So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.

Rivers: Run Into the Sea Ecclesiastes 1:7

All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place from which the streams come, there again they flow.

Science: Observations of, and Deductions From, Facts Ecclesiastes 1:13–17

And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them! / I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. / What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

Solomon: Wealth of Ecclesiastes 1:16

I said to myself, “Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”

Solomon: Wisdom and Fame of Ecclesiastes 1:16

I said to myself, “Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”

Technology Ecclesiastes 1:9

What has been will be again, and what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

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Northward (Heb. tsaphon), a "hidden" or "dark place," as opposed to… Jerusalem Called also Salem, Ariel, Jebus, the "city of God," the… Madness This word is used in its proper sense in Deut.… Beyond When used with reference to Jordan, signifies in the writings… Israel The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at… Heaven (1.) Definitions. The phrase "heaven and earth" is used to… Earth (1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation… David Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen… King Is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested…