Ecclesiastes 1
NIV — New International Version Bible (NIV)
NIVUK — New International Version - UK Bible (NIVUK)
Verse 1
The words of the Teacher,[a] son of David, king in Jerusalem:
The words of the Teacher,[a] son of David, king of Jerusalem:
Verse 2
“Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”
‘Meaningless! Meaningless!’
says the Teacher.
‘Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.’
says the Teacher.
‘Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.’
Verse 3
What do people gain from all their labors
at which they toil under the sun?
at which they toil under the sun?
What do people gain from all their labours
at which they toil under the sun?
at which they toil under the sun?
Verse 4
Generations come and generations go,
but the earth remains forever.
but the earth remains forever.
Generations come and generations go,
but the earth remains for ever.
but the earth remains for ever.
Verse 5
The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises.
and hurries back to where it rises.
The sun rises and the sun sets,
and hurries back to where it rises.
and hurries back to where it rises.
Verse 6
The wind blows to the south
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
The wind blows to the south
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
and turns to the north;
round and round it goes,
ever returning on its course.
Verse 7
All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again.
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again.
All streams flow into the sea,
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again.
yet the sea is never full.
To the place the streams come from,
there they return again.
Verse 8
All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
All things are wearisome,
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
more than one can say.
The eye never has enough of seeing,
nor the ear its fill of hearing.
Verse 9
What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
Verse 10
Is there anything of which one can say,
“Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
“Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
Is there anything of which one can say,
‘Look! This is something new’?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
‘Look! This is something new’?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
Verse 11
No one remembers the former generations,
and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow them.
and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow them.
Wisdom Is Meaningless
No one remembers the former generations,
and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow them.
and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow them.
Wisdom is meaningless
Verse 12
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Verse 13
I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!
I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!
Verse 14
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Verse 15
What is crooked cannot be straightened;
what is lacking cannot be counted.
what is lacking cannot be counted.
What is crooked cannot be straightened;
what is lacking cannot be counted.
what is lacking cannot be counted.
Verse 16
I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”
I said to myself, ‘Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.’
Verse 17
Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
Verse 18
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.
the more knowledge, the more grief.
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief.
the more knowledge, the more grief.