Ecclesiastes 1
NKJV Parallel NIV [BSB CSB ESV HCS KJV ISV NAS NET NIV NLT HEB]
New King James VersionNew International Version
1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.1The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”2"Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless."
3What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?3What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
4One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever.4Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
5The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose.5The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.
6The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit.6The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.
7All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again.7All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.
8All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.8All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.9What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.10Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.
11There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after.11No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.
12I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.12I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.13I 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!
14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
15What is crooked cannot be made straight, And what is lacking cannot be numbered.15What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.
16I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.”16I 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."
17And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.17Then 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.
18For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.18For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Proverbs 31
Top of Page
Top of Page