Everything Is Futile 1 Brenton The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: These are the words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Brenton Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. BSB BSB: “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”
3 Brenton What advantage is there to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun? BSB BSB: What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?
4 Brenton A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever. BSB BSB: Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
6 Brenton arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits. BSB BSB: The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course.
7 Brenton All the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence 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 Brenton All things are full of labour; a man will not be able to speak of them : neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be 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 Brenton What is that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing 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 Brenton Who is he that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed 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 Brenton There is no memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall be at the last time . 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 Brenton I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 Brenton And I applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled 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 Brenton I beheld all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, behold, all were vanity and waywardness 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 Brenton That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and deficiency cannot be numbered. BSB BSB: What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 Brenton I spoke in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know 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 Brenton And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness 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 Brenton For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase 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.