Ecclesiastes 1
Title
1 The words of the Teacher,ts the sont of David, kings in Jerusalem:ss
Introduction: Utter Futility
2 “Futile! Futile!” lamentst the Teacher,s
“Absolutely futile!t Everythingt is futile!”ts
Futility Illustrated from Nature
3 What benefitt do peoplet get from all the effort
whicht they expends on earth?ts
4 A generation comest and a generation goes,t
but the earth remainst the samet through the ages.t
5 The sun risest and the sun sets;t
it hurries awayt to a place from which it risest again.t
6 The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north;
round and roundt the wind goes and on its rounds it returns.t
7 All the streams flowt into the sea, but the sea is not full,
and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again.ts
8 All thist monotonyt is tiresome; no one can beart to describe it:ts
The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever contentt with hearing.
9 What exists nowt is what will be,t
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing truly new on earth.t
10 Is there anything about which someone can say, “Look at this! It is new!”?t
It was alreadyt done long ago,s before our time.t
11 No one remembers the former events,t
nor will anyone remembert the events that are yet to happen;ts
they will not be remembered by the future generations.ts
Futility of Secular Accomplishment
12 I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.s
13 I decidedt to carefullyt and thoroughly examinet
all that has been accomplished on earth.ts
I concluded:t God has given peoplet a burdensome taskt
that keeps themt occupied.t
14 I reflected on everything that is accomplished by mant on earth,t
and I concluded: Everythingt he has accomplishedt is futilet – like chasing the wind!t
15 What is bentt cannot be straightened,t
and what is missingt cannot be supplied.t
Futility of Secular Wisdom
16 I thought to myself,t
“I have become much wisert than any of my predecessors who ruledt over Jerusalem;s
It have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.”t
17 So I decidedt to discern the benefit oft wisdom and knowledge overt foolish behavior and ideas;t
however, I concludedt that event this endeavort is liket trying to chase the wind!t
18 For with great wisdom comest great frustration;
whoever increases hist knowledge merelyt increases hist heartache.
Ecclesiastes 1
Title
1 The words of the Teacher,ts the sont of David, kings in Jerusalem:ss
Introduction: Utter Futility
2 “Futile! Futile!” lamentst the Teacher,s
“Absolutely futile!t Everythingt is futile!”ts
Futility Illustrated from Nature
3 What benefitt do peoplet get from all the effort
whicht they expends on earth?ts
4 A generation comest and a generation goes,t
but the earth remainst the samet through the ages.t
5 The sun risest and the sun sets;t
it hurries awayt to a place from which it risest again.t
6 The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north;
round and roundt the wind goes and on its rounds it returns.t
7 All the streams flowt into the sea, but the sea is not full,
and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again.ts
8 All thist monotonyt is tiresome; no one can beart to describe it:ts
The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever contentt with hearing.
9 What exists nowt is what will be,t
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing truly new on earth.t
10 Is there anything about which someone can say, “Look at this! It is new!”?t
It was alreadyt done long ago,s before our time.t
11 No one remembers the former events,t
nor will anyone remembert the events that are yet to happen;ts
they will not be remembered by the future generations.ts
Futility of Secular Accomplishment
12 I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.s
13 I decidedt to carefullyt and thoroughly examinet
all that has been accomplished on earth.ts
I concluded:t God has given peoplet a burdensome taskt
that keeps themt occupied.t
14 I reflected on everything that is accomplished by mant on earth,t
and I concluded: Everythingt he has accomplishedt is futilet – like chasing the wind!t
15 What is bentt cannot be straightened,t
and what is missingt cannot be supplied.t
Futility of Secular Wisdom
16 I thought to myself,t
“I have become much wisert than any of my predecessors who ruledt over Jerusalem;s
It have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.”t
17 So I decidedt to discern the benefit oft wisdom and knowledge overt foolish behavior and ideas;t
however, I concludedt that event this endeavort is liket trying to chase the wind!t
18 For with great wisdom comest great frustration;
whoever increases hist knowledge merelyt increases hist heartache.