Ecclesiastes 1 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Ecclesiastes 1 (WEBP)

[1] 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 does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
[4] One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
[5] The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
[6] The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
[7] All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
[8] All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
[9] That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
[10] Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
[11] There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.
[12] I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
[13] I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
[14] I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
[15] That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.
[16] I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”
[17] I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
[18] For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Ecclesiastes 1:10 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
Ecclesiastes 1:13 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Ecclesiastes 1 (KJVS)

[1] The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
[2] Vanity of vanities, saith () the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
[3] What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh () under the sun?
[4] One generation passeth away, () and another generation cometh: () () () but the earth abideth () for ever.
[5] The sun also ariseth, () and the sun goeth down, () and hasteth () to his place where he arose. ()
[6] The wind goeth () toward the south, and turneth about () unto the north; it whirleth about continually, () and the wind returneth again () according to his circuits.
[7] All the rivers run () into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, () thither they return () again. ()
[8] All things are full of labour; man cannot () utter () it: the eye is not satisfied () with seeing, () nor the ear filled () with hearing. ()
[9] The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done () is that which shall be done: () and there is no new thing under the sun.
[10] Is there any thing whereof it may be said, () See, () this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
[11] There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
[12] I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
[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. ()
[16] I communed () with mine own heart, saying, () Lo, I am come to great estate, () and have gotten () more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great () experience () of wisdom and knowledge.
[17] And I gave () my heart to know () wisdom, and to know () madness and folly: I perceived () that this also is vexation of spirit.
[18] For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth () knowledge increaseth () sorrow.

Ecclesiastes 1:5 Heb. panteth
Ecclesiastes 1:7 Heb. return to go
Ecclesiastes 1:13 Or, to afflict them
Ecclesiastes 1:15 Heb. defect
Ecclesiastes 1:16 Heb. had seen much

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Ecclesiastes 1 (BYZ)

[1] ρηματα εκκλησιαστου υιου δαυιδ βασιλεως ισραηλ εν ιερουσαλημ
[2] ματαιοτης ματαιοτητων ειπεν ο εκκλησιαστης ματαιοτης ματαιοτητων τα παντα ματαιοτης
[3] τις περισσεια τω ανθρωπω εν παντι μοχθω αυτου ω μοχθει υπο τον ηλιον
[4] γενεα πορευεται και γενεα ερχεται και η γη εις τον αιωνα εστηκεν
[5] και ανατελλει ο ηλιος και δυνει ο ηλιος και εις τον τοπον αυτου ελκει
[6] ανατελλων αυτος εκει πορευεται προς νοτον και κυκλοι προς βορραν κυκλοι κυκλων πορευεται το πνευμα και επι κυκλους αυτου επιστρεφει το πνευμα
[7] παντες οι χειμαρροι πορευονται εις την θαλασσαν και η θαλασσα ουκ εσται εμπιμπλαμενη εις τοπον ου οι χειμαρροι πορευονται εκει αυτοι επιστρεφουσιν του πορευθηναι
[8] παντες οι λογοι εγκοποι ου δυνησεται ανηρ του λαλειν και ουκ εμπλησθησεται οφθαλμος του οραν και ου πληρωθησεται ους απο ακροασεως
[9] τι το γεγονος αυτο το γενησομενον και τι το πεποιημενον αυτο το ποιηθησομενον και ουκ εστιν παν προσφατον υπο τον ηλιον
[10] ος λαλησει και ερει ιδε τουτο καινον εστιν ηδη γεγονεν εν τοις αιωσιν τοις γενομενοις απο εμπροσθεν ημων
[11] ουκ εστιν μνημη τοις πρωτοις και γε τοις εσχατοις γενομενοις ουκ εσται αυτοις μνημη μετα των γενησομενων εις την εσχατην
[12] εγω εκκλησιαστης εγενομην βασιλευς επι ισραηλ εν ιερουσαλημ
[13] και εδωκα την καρδιαν μου του εκζητησαι και του κατασκεψασθαι εν τη σοφια περι παντων των γινομενων υπο τον ουρανον οτι περισπασμον πονηρον εδωκεν ο θεος τοις υιοις του ανθρωπου του περισπασθαι εν αυτω
[14] ειδον συν παντα τα ποιηματα τα πεποιημενα υπο τον ηλιον και ιδου τα παντα ματαιοτης και προαιρεσις πνευματος
[15] διεστραμμενον ου δυνησεται του επικοσμηθηναι και υστερημα ου δυνησεται του αριθμηθηναι
[16] ελαλησα εγω εν καρδια μου τω λεγειν εγω ιδου εμεγαλυνθην και προσεθηκα σοφιαν επι πασιν οι εγενοντο εμπροσθεν μου εν ιερουσαλημ και καρδια μου ειδεν πολλα σοφιαν και γνωσιν
[17] και εδωκα καρδιαν μου του γνωναι σοφιαν και γνωσιν παραβολας και επιστημην εγνων οτι και γε τουτ εστιν προαιρεσις πνευματος
[18] οτι εν πληθει σοφιας πληθος γνωσεως και ο προστιθεις γνωσιν προσθησει αλγημα