Font Size
Ecclesiastes 1:13-15
English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 1:13-15
English Standard Version
13 And I (A)applied my heart[a] to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy (B)business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is (C)vanity[b] and a striving after wind.[c]
15 (D)What is crooked cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be counted.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 1:13 The Hebrew term denotes the center of one's inner life, including mind, will, and emotions
- Ecclesiastes 1:14 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
- Ecclesiastes 1:14 Or a feeding on wind; compare Hosea 12:1 (also in Ecclesiastes 1:17; 2:11, 17, 26; 4:4, 6, 16; 6:9)
Ecclesiastes 1:13-15
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 1:13-15
New International Version
13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens.(A) What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!(B) 14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.(C)
15 What is crooked cannot be straightened;(D)
what is lacking cannot be counted.
Ecclesiastes 1:13-15
King James Version
Ecclesiastes 1:13-15
King James Version
13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
Read full chapter
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.