Thematic Bible
Ecclesiastes 1:1 (show verse)
The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
Ecclesiastes 1:2 (show verse)
"Futile! Futile!" laments the Teacher, "Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!"
Ecclesiastes 1:3 (show verse)
What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?
Ecclesiastes 1:4 (show verse)
A generation comes and a generation goes, but the earth remains the same through the ages.
Ecclesiastes 1:5 (show verse)
The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again.
Ecclesiastes 1:6 (show verse)
The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north; round and round the wind goes and on its rounds it returns.
Ecclesiastes 1:7 (show verse)
All the streams flow into the sea, but the sea is not full, and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again.
Ecclesiastes 1:8 (show verse)
All this monotony is tiresome; no one can bear to describe it: The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever content with hearing.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 (show verse)
What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.
No Themes for this verse.
Ecclesiastes 1:10 (show verse)
Is there anything about which someone can say, "Look at this! It is new!"? It was already done long ago, before our time.
No Themes for this verse.
Ecclesiastes 1:11 (show verse)
No one remembers the former events, nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen; they will not be remembered by the future generations.
No Themes for this verse.
Ecclesiastes 1:12 (show verse)
I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Ecclesiastes 1:13 (show verse)
I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied.
Ecclesiastes 1:14 (show verse)
I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile -- like chasing the wind!
Ecclesiastes 1:15 (show verse)
What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is missing cannot be supplied.
Ecclesiastes 1:16 (show verse)
I thought to myself, "I have become much wiser than any of my predecessors who ruled over Jerusalem; I have acquired much wisdom and knowledge."
Ecclesiastes 1:17 (show verse)
So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!
Ecclesiastes 1:18 (show verse)
For with great wisdom comes great frustration; whoever increases his knowledge merely increases his heartache.