New Living Translation | New Living Translation |
1These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s son, who ruled in Jerusalem. Everything Is Meaningless | 1These are the words of the Teacher, King David’s son, who ruled in Jerusalem. Everything Is Meaningless |
2“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” | 2“Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!” |
3What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? | 3What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? |
4Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. | 4Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. |
5The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. | 5The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. |
6The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. | 6The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. |
7Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. | 7Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. |
8Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. | 8Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content. |
9History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. | 9History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. |
10Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. | 10Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. |
11We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. The Teacher Speaks: The Futility of Wisdom | 11We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now. The Teacher Speaks: The Futility of Wisdom |
12I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem. | 12I, the Teacher, was king of Israel, and I lived in Jerusalem. |
13I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. | 13I devoted myself to search for understanding and to explore by wisdom everything being done under heaven. I soon discovered that God has dealt a tragic existence to the human race. |
14I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. | 14I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind. |
15What is wrong cannot be made right. What is missing cannot be recovered. | 15What is wrong cannot be made right. What is missing cannot be recovered. |
16I said to myself, “Look, I am wiser than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. I have greater wisdom and knowledge than any of them.” | 16I said to myself, “Look, I am wiser than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. I have greater wisdom and knowledge than any of them.” |
17So I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly. But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind. | 17So I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly. But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind. |
18The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow. | 18The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow. |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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