Ecclesiastes 1:4-11
Lexham English Bible
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth stands forever.
5 The sun rises, and the sun goes down;
to its place it hurries,[a] and there it rises again.
6 The wind goes to the south and goes around to the north;
around and around it goes, and on its circuit the wind returns.
7 All the streams flow to the sea,
but the sea is never full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they continue to flow.
8 All things toil continuously;[b]
no one can ever finish describing this.[c]
The eye is never[d] satisfied with seeing,
and the ear is never[e] filled with hearing.
9 What has been—it is what will be;
what has been done—it is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10 There is a thing of which it is said, “Look at this! This is new!”
But it already existed in ages past before us.
11 There is neither remembrance of former generations,
nor will there be remembrance of future generations.
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 1:5 The MT reads “it gasps for breath,” which is supported by LXX “to draw breath”; the BHS editors suggest “it returns again”
- Ecclesiastes 1:8 Or “are wearisome”
- Ecclesiastes 1:8 The MT reads “no one is able to speak.” The BHS editors suggest “no one can finish speaking.” On the basis of internal evidence, the latter is adopted in the translation, since it makes better sense in the light of the immediate context
- Ecclesiastes 1:8 Or “not”
- Ecclesiastes 1:8 Or “not”
Ecclesiastes 1:4-11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.(A)
5 The sun rises, and the sun goes down
and hurries to the place where it rises.(B)
6 The wind blows to the south
and goes around to the north;
round and round goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.(C)
7 All streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they continue to flow.
8 All things[a] are wearisome,
more than one can express;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing
or the ear filled with hearing.(D)
9 What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.(E)
10 Is there a thing of which it is said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been
in the ages before us.
11 The people of long ago are not remembered,
nor will there be any remembrance
of people yet to come
by those who come after them.
Footnotes
- 1.8 Or words
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