Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
New American Standard Bible
The Futility of All Endeavors
1 The words of the (A)Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “(B)Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher,
“Futility of futilities! All is futility.”
3 (C)What advantage does a person have in all his work
Which he does under the sun?
4 A generation goes and a generation comes,
But the (D)earth [a]remains forever.
5 Also, (E)the sun rises and the sun sets;
And [b]hurrying to its place it rises there again.
6 [c](F)Blowing toward the south,
Then turning toward the north,
The wind continues [d]swirling along;
And on its circular courses the wind returns.
7 All the rivers [e]flow into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full.
To the place where the rivers [f]flow,
There they [g]flow again.
8 All things are wearisome;
No one can tell it.
(G)The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor is the ear filled with hearing.
9 (H)What has been, it is what will be,
And what has been done, it is what will be done.
So there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one might say,
“See this, it is new”?
It has already existed for ages
Which were before us.
11 There is (I)no remembrance of the [h]earlier things,
And of the later things as well, which will occur,
There will be no remembrance of them
Among those who will come later still.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 1:4 Lit stands
- Ecclesiastes 1:5 Lit panting
- Ecclesiastes 1:6 Lit Going
- Ecclesiastes 1:6 Lit turning
- Ecclesiastes 1:7 Lit go
- Ecclesiastes 1:7 Lit go
- Ecclesiastes 1:7 Lit go
- Ecclesiastes 1:11 Lit first; or former
Ecclesiastes 11:7-12:8
New American Standard Bible
7 The light is pleasant, and it is good for the eyes to (A)see the sun. 8 Indeed, if a person lives many years, let him (B)rejoice in them all; but let him remember the (C)days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything that is to come will be futility.
9 Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the [a]impulses of your heart and the [b](D)desires of your eyes. Yet know that (E)God will bring you to judgment for all these things. 10 So remove [c]sorrow from your heart and keep [d](F)pain away from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are [e]fleeting.
Remember God in Your Youth
12 (G)Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the (H)evil days come and the years approach when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; 2 before the (I)sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain; 3 on the day that the watchmen of the house tremble, and strong men are (J)bent over, the grinders stop working because they are few, and (K)those who look through [f]windows grow [g]dim; 4 and the doors on the street are shut as the (L)sound of the grinding mill is low, and one will arise at the sound of the bird, and all the (M)daughters of song will [h]sing softly. 5 Furthermore, people are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along, and the caper berry is ineffective. For man goes to his eternal (N)home while the (O)mourners move around in the street. 6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is [i]broken and the (P)golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the spring is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; 7 then the (Q)dust will return to the earth as it was, and the [j](R)spirit will return to (S)God who gave it. 8 “(T)Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher, “all is futility!”
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 Lit ways
- Ecclesiastes 11:9 Lit sights
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Or anger
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Lit evil
- Ecclesiastes 11:10 Lit futility
- Ecclesiastes 12:3 Or holes
- Ecclesiastes 12:3 I.e., in their eyesight
- Ecclesiastes 12:4 Lit be low
- Ecclesiastes 12:6 As in LXX; Heb removed
- Ecclesiastes 12:7 Or breath
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