1 GLT The words of Qoheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem: BSB BSB: These are the words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 GLT “Vapor of vapors!” says Qoheleth.“Vapor of vapors! Everything{ is} vapor!” BSB BSB: “Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”
3 GLT What profit{ belongs} to humanity in exchange for all his toil that he will toil under the sun? BSB BSB: What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?
4 GLT A generation is going and a generation is coming, but the earth is standing in perpetuity. BSB BSB: Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
6 GLT Going southward and turning northward, turning, turning, the wind is going and on its circuits the wind is returning. BSB BSB: The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course.
7 GLT All the rivers are going to the sea, but the sea— it is not full. To a place that the rivers are going, there they are going 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 GLT All things{ are} wearisome; a person is not able to speak. An eye is not satisfied of seeing, and an ear is not filled from 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 GLT Whatever that was, it will be, and whatever that has been done, it will be done. And there is not anything new 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 GLT { Is} there a thing about which one says,“See this— it{ is} new?” It already existed in ages that were from before our faces. BSB BSB: Is there a case where one can say, “Look, this is new”? It has already existed in the ages before us.
11 GLT There is not a remembrance of the former things, and even of the latter things which will be, there will not be remembrance of them with those who will be afterwards. 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.
12 GLT I, Qoheleth, I was king over Israel in Jerusalem. BSB BSB: I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 GLT And I gave my heart to seek out and to explore with wisdom concerning everything that is done under the sun. It{ is} an unpleasant business God has given to the sons of humanity to be busy with it. 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 GLT I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun and— look— everything{ is} vapor and striving{ after} wind. 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 GLT What is bent is not able to be straightened, and what is missing is not able to be counted. BSB BSB: What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 GLT I spoke, I with my heart, saying,“Look at me— I have become great, and I have added wisdom over all who were to my face over Jerusalem. And my heart saw much 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 GLT And I gave my heart to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly. I knew that this also, it{ is} striving{ after} wind. 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 GLT For with an abundance of wisdom{ is} much vexation and one who is adding knowledge is adding pain. 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.