Everything Is Futile 1 AKJV The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: These are the words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 AKJV Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. BSB BSB: “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”
3 AKJV What profit has a man of all his labor which he takes under the sun? BSB BSB: What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?
4 AKJV One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth stays for ever. BSB BSB: Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
6 AKJV The wind goes toward the south, and turns about to the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to his circuits. BSB BSB: The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course.
7 AKJV All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from where the rivers come, thither they return again. BSB BSB: 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.
8 AKJV All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. BSB BSB: All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.
9 AKJV The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. BSB BSB: What has been will be again, and what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
10 AKJV Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it has been already of old time, which was before us. BSB BSB: Is there a case where one can say, “Look, this is new”? It has already existed in the ages before us.
11 AKJV There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after. BSB BSB: There is no remembrance of those who came before, and those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow after.
With Wisdom Comes Sorrow 12 AKJV I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 AKJV And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail has God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. BSB BSB: And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a miserable task God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!
14 AKJV I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. BSB BSB: 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.
15 AKJV That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. BSB BSB: What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 AKJV I communed with my own heart, saying, See, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yes, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. BSB BSB: 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.”
17 AKJV And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. BSB BSB: So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.
18 AKJV For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow. BSB BSB: For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, and as knowledge grows, grief increases.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.