Parallel Verses

A Conservative Version

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

New American Standard Bible

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind.

King James Version

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Holman Bible

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

International Standard Version

I observed every activity done on earth. My conclusion: all of it is pointless like chasing after the wind.

American Standard Version

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

Amplified

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity, a futile grasping and chasing after the wind.

Bible in Basic English

I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.

Darby Translation

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

Julia Smith Translation

I saw all the works they did under the sun; and behold, all vanity and striving of the spirit

King James 2000

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and like grasping the wind.

Lexham Expanded Bible

I saw all the works that are done under the sun. Look! Everything [is] vanity and chasing wind.

Modern King James verseion

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale

Thus I have considered all the things that come to pass under the Sun, and lo, they are all but vanity and vexation of mind.

NET Bible

I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile -- like chasing the wind!

New Heart English Bible

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

The Emphasized Bible

I saw all the works which were done under the sun, - and lo! all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

Webster

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

World English Bible

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

Youngs Literal Translation

I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit!

Interlinear

English(KJV)
Strong's
Root Form
Definition
Usage
ראה 
Ra'ah 
Usage: 1308

all the works
מעשׂה 
Ma`aseh 
Usage: 234

under the sun
שׁמשׁ 
Shemesh 
Usage: 134

and, behold, all is vanity
הבל הבל 
hebel 
Usage: 73

and vexation
רעוּת 
R@`uwth 
Usage: 7

Verse Info

Context Readings

Qohelet Introduces His Quest

13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven. It is a great tribulation that God has given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. 15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

Cross References

Ecclesiastes 2:11

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labor that I had labored to do, and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:17

So I hated life, because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous to me. For all is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

For to the man who pleases him [God] gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

1 Kings 4:30-32

And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the sons of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt.

Psalm 39:5-6

Behold, thou have made my days [as] handbreadths, and my life-time is as nothing before thee. Surely every man at his best condition is altogether vanity. Selah.

Ecclesiastes 1:17-18

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

Ecclesiastes 6:9

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

King James Version Public Domain

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

American Standard Version Public Domain

NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible

Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute - public domain