READ · REFLECT · RESPOND
Second Edition · Explore Scripture, one passage at a time.
1:1 The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
1:2 “Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher. “Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!”
1:3 What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth? 1:4 A generation comes and a generation goes, but the earth remains the same through the ages. 1:5 The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again. 1:6 The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north; round and round the wind goes and on its rounds it returns. 1:7 All the streams flow into the sea, but the sea is not full, and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again. 1:8 All this monotony is tiresome; no one can bear to describe it. The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever content with hearing. 1:9 What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth. 1:10 Is there anything about which someone can say, “Look at this! It is new”? It was already done long ago, before our time. 1:11 No one remembers the former events, nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen; they will not be remembered by the future generations.
1:12 I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 1:13 I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied. 1:14 I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile —like chasing the wind! 1:15 What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is missing cannot be supplied.
1:16 I thought to myself, “I have become much wiser than any of my predecessors who ruled over Jerusalem; I have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.” 1:17 So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind. 1:18 For with great wisdom comes great frustration; whoever increases his knowledge merely increases his heartache.
NET Bible Second Edition. Copyright 2017 Biblical Studies Press
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