Ecclesiastes 1

The Vanity of Life

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.3 What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?4  One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever.5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose.6 The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit.7 All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again.8 All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.9 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.10 Is there anything of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has already been in ancient times before us.11  There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after.

The Grief of Wisdom

12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.13 And 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.14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.15  What is crooked cannot be made straight, And what is lacking cannot be numbered.16 I 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.17 And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.18 For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

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.