Ecclesiastes 1-6

GOD’S WORD Translation

Introducing the Spokesman

1 The words of the spokesman, the son of David and the king in Jerusalem.

The Theme

² “Absolutely pointless!” says the spokesman. “Absolutely pointless! Everything is pointless.”

Life Is an Endless Circle

³ What do people gain from all their hard work under the sun?

⁸ All of these sayings are worn-out phrases. They are more than anyone can express, comprehend, or understand.

⁹ Whatever has happened before will happen ⌞again⌟. Whatever has been done before will be done ⌞again⌟. There is nothing new under the sun. ¹⁰ Can you say that anything is new? It has already been here long before us. ¹¹ Nothing from the past is remembered. Even in the future, nothing will be remembered by those who come after us.

The Spokesman Begins to Study Everything under Heaven

¹² I, the spokesman, have been king of Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³ With all my heart I used wisdom to study and explore everything done under heaven.

The Spokesman’s General Conclusion

Mortals are weighed down with a terrible burden that God has placed on them. ¹⁴ I have seen everything that is done under the sun. Look at it! It’s all pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

The Spokesman Begins to Study Life

¹⁶ I thought to myself, “I have grown wiser than anyone who ⌞has ruled⌟ Jerusalem before me. I’ve had a lot of experience with wisdom and knowledge.” ¹⁷ I’ve used my mind to understand wisdom and knowledge as well as madness and stupidity. ⌞Now⌟ I know that this is ⌞like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

The Spokesman Studies Laughter

2 I thought to myself, “Now I want to experiment with pleasure and enjoy myself.” But even this was pointless.

² I thought, “Laughter doesn’t make any sense. What does pleasure accomplish?”

The Spokesman Studies Wine

³ I explored ways to make myself feel better by drinking wine. I also explored ways to do ⌞some⌟ foolish things. During all that time, wisdom continued to control my mind. I was able to determine whether this was good for mortals to do during their brief lives under heaven.

The Spokesman Studies Personal Achievements

⁴ I accomplished some great things:

⁹ So I grew richer than anyone in Jerusalem before me. Yet, my wisdom remained with me. ¹⁰ If something appealed to me, I did it. I allowed myself to have any pleasure I wanted, since I found pleasure in my work. This was my reward for all my hard work.

¹¹ But when I turned to look at all that I had accomplished and all the hard work I had put into it, I saw that it was all pointless. ⌞It was like⌟ trying to catch the wind. I gained nothing ⌞from any of my accomplishments⌟ under the sun.

Death Is the Common Destiny of All Life

¹² Then I turned ⌞my attention⌟ to experience wisdom, madness, and foolishness. For instance, what can the man who replaces the king do? Only what has already been done. ¹³ But I saw that wisdom has an advantage over foolishness as light has an advantage over darkness. ¹⁴ A wise person uses the eyes in his head, but a fool walks in the dark. But I have also come to realize that the same destiny waits for both of them.

¹⁵ I thought to myself, “⌞If⌟ the destiny that waits for the fool waits for me as well, then what is the advantage in being wise?” So I thought that even this is pointless.

Without God Everything Is Pointless

¹⁶ Neither the wise person nor the fool will be remembered for long, since both will be forgotten in the days to come. Both the wise person and the fool will die. ¹⁷ So I came to hate life because everything done under the sun seemed wrong to me. Everything was pointless. ⌞It was like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

¹⁸ I came to hate everything for which I had worked so hard under the sun, because I will have to leave it to the person who replaces me. ¹⁹ Who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? He will still have control over everything under the sun for which I worked so hard and used my wisdom. Even this is pointless.

²⁰ Then I fell into despair over everything for which I had worked so hard under the sun. ²¹ Here is someone who had worked hard with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet, he must turn over his estate to someone else, who didn’t work for it. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

²² What do people get from all of their hard work and struggles under the sun? ²³ Their entire life is filled with pain, and their work is unbearable. Even at night their minds don’t rest. Even this is pointless.

With God Even the Simplest Things Have a Point

²⁴ There is nothing better for people to do than to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their work. I saw that even this comes from the hand of God. ²⁵ Who can eat or enjoy themselves without God? ²⁶ God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to anyone who pleases him. But to the person who continues to sin, he gives the job of gathering and collecting ⌞wealth⌟. The sinner must turn his wealth over to the person who pleases God. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

Everything in God’s Own Time

3 Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven:

God Gives Mortals a Sense of Eternity

⁹ What do working people gain from their hard labor? ¹⁰ I have seen mortals weighed down with a burden that God has placed on them. ¹¹ It is beautiful how God has done everything at the right time. He has put a sense of eternity in people’s minds. Yet, mortals still can’t grasp what God is doing from the beginning to the end ⌞of time⌟.

¹² I realize that there’s nothing better for them to do than to be cheerful and enjoy what is good in their lives. ¹³ It is a gift from God to be able to eat and drink and experience the good that comes from every kind of hard work.

¹⁴ I realize that whatever God does will last forever. Nothing can be added to it, and nothing can be taken away from it. God does this so that people will fear him.

¹⁵ Whatever has happened ⌞in the past⌟ is present now. Whatever is going to happen ⌞in the future⌟ has already happened ⌞in the past⌟. God will call the past to account.

Humans and Animals Meet the Same End

¹⁶ I saw something else under the sun:

¹⁷ I thought to myself, “God will judge righteous people as well as wicked people, because there is a specific time for every activity and every work that is done.” ¹⁸ I thought to myself, “God is going to test humans in order to show them that they are ⌞like⌟ animals.” ¹⁹ Humans and animals have the same destiny. One dies just like the other. All of them have the same breath ⌞of life⌟. Humans have no advantage over animals. All ⌞of life⌟ is pointless. ²⁰ All ⌞life⌟ goes to the same place. All ⌞life⌟ comes from the ground, and all of it goes back to the ground. ²¹ Who knows whether a human spirit goes upward or whether an animal spirit goes downward to the earth?

²² I saw that there’s nothing better for people to do than to enjoy their work because that is their lot ⌞in life⌟. Who will allow them to see what will happen after them?

Better Not to Have Been Born

4 Next, I turned to look at all the acts of oppression that make people suffer under the sun. Look at the tears of those who suffer! No one can comfort them. Their oppressors have ⌞all⌟ the power. No one can comfort those who suffer. ² I congratulate the dead, who have already died, rather than the living, who still have to carry on. ³ But the person who hasn’t been born yet is better off than both of them. He hasn’t seen the evil that is done under the sun.

Hard Work Versus Laziness

⁴ Then I saw that all hard work and skillful effort come from rivalry. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind. ⁵ A fool folds his hands and wastes away. ⁶ One handful of peace and quiet is better than two handfuls of hard work and of trying to catch the wind.

Those Who Are All Alone

⁷ Next, I turned to look at something pointless under the sun: ⁸ There are people who are all alone. They have no children or other family members. So there is no end to all the hard work they have to do. Their eyes are never satisfied with riches. But ⌞they never ask themselves⌟ why they are working so hard and depriving themselves of good things. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

Two Are Better Than One

⁹ Two people are better than one because ⌞together⌟ they have a good reward for their hard work. ¹⁰ If one falls, the other can help his friend get up. But how tragic it is for the one who is ⌞all⌟ alone when he falls. There is no one to help him get up. ¹¹ Again, if two people lie down together, they can keep warm, but how can one person keep warm? ¹² Though one person may be overpowered by another, two people can resist one opponent. A triple-braided rope is not easily broken.

Rulers and Fickle Citizens

¹³ A young man who is poor and wise is better than an old, foolish king who won’t take advice any longer.

¹⁴ A young man came out of prison to rule as king, even though he had been born in poverty in that same kingdom. ¹⁵ I saw all living people moving about under the sun. They sided with the second young man, the king’s successor. ¹⁶ There was no end to all those people, everyone whom he led.^[b] But those who will come later will not be happy with the successor. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

Don’t Daydream or Speak Carelessly When You Worship

5 ^[c]Watch your step when you go to the house of God. It is better to go there and listen than to bring the sacrifices fools bring. Fools are unaware that they are doing ⌞something⌟ evil.

² Don’t be in a hurry to talk. Don’t be eager to speak in the presence of God. Since God is in heaven and you are on earth, limit the number of your words.

³ Daydreaming comes when there are too many worries.

Careless speaking comes when there are too many words.

⁴ When you make a promise to God, don’t be slow to keep it because God doesn’t like fools. Keep your promise. ⁵ It is better not to make a promise than to make one and not keep it. ⁶ Don’t let your mouth talk you into committing a sin. Don’t say in the presence of a ⌞temple⌟ messenger, “My promise was a mistake!” Why should God become angry at your excuse and destroy what you’ve accomplished?

⁷ In spite of many daydreams, pointless actions, and empty words, you should still fear God.

Corrupt Officials Have Corrupt Officials over Them

⁸ Don’t be surprised if you see poor people being oppressed, denied justice, or denied their rights in any district. One authority is watching over another, and they both have authorities watching over them. ⁹ Yet, a king is an advantage for a country with cultivated fields.

The Value of Money

¹⁰ Whoever loves money will never be satisfied with money. Whoever loves wealth will never be satisfied with more income. Even this is pointless. ¹¹ As the number of goods increase, so do the number of people who consume them. What do owners gain ⌞from all their goods⌟ except ⌞the opportunity⌟ to look at them?

¹² The sleep of working people is sweet, whether they eat a little or a lot. But the full stomachs that rich people have will not allow them to sleep.

Economic Ruin

¹³ There is a painful tragedy that I have seen under the sun: Riches lead to the downfall of those who hoard them. ¹⁴ These hoarded riches were then lost in bad business deals. The owners had children, but now they have nothing to give them. ¹⁵ They came from their mother’s womb naked. They will leave as naked as they came. They won’t even be able to take a handful of their earnings with them from all their hard work.

¹⁶ This also is a painful tragedy: They leave exactly as they came. What advantage do they gain from working so hard for the wind? ¹⁷ They spend their entire lives in darkness, in constant frustration, sickness, and resentment.

Conclusion: God Alone Gives Contentment

¹⁸ At last I have seen what is good and beautiful: It is to eat and drink and to enjoy the good in all our hard work under the sun during the brief lives God gives us. That is our lot ⌞in life⌟. ¹⁹ It is a gift from God when God gives some people wealth and possessions, the power to enjoy them, ⌞the ability⌟ to accept their lot in life, and ⌞the ability⌟ to rejoice in their own hard work. ²⁰ These people won’t give much thought to their brief lives because God keeps them occupied with the joy in their hearts.

The Rich Person and the Stillborn Baby

6 There is a tragedy that I have seen under the sun. It is a terrible one for mortals. ² God gives one person riches, wealth, and honor so that he doesn’t lack anything he wants. Yet, God doesn’t give him the power to enjoy any of them. Instead, a stranger enjoys them. This is pointless and is a painful tragedy.

³ Suppose a rich person wasn’t satisfied with good things ⌞while he was alive⌟ and didn’t even get an honorable burial ⌞after he died⌟. Suppose he had a hundred children and lived for many years. No matter how long he would have lived, it ⌞still⌟ would have been better for him to have been born dead. ⁴ A stillborn baby arrives in a pointless birth and goes out into the darkness. The darkness then hides its name. ⁵ Though it has never seen the sun or known anything, the baby finds more rest than the rich person. ⁶ Even if the rich person lives two thousand years without experiencing anything good—don’t we all go to the same place?

More Pointless Challenges

⁷ Everything that people work so hard for goes into their mouths, but their appetite is never satisfied.

⁸ What advantage does a wise person have over a fool? What advantage does a poor person have in knowing how to face life?

⁹ It is better to look at what is in front of you than to go looking for what you want. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

¹⁰ Whatever has happened ⌞in the past⌟ already has a name. Mortals are already known for what they are. Mortals cannot argue with the one who is stronger than they.

¹¹ The more words there are, the more pointless they become. What advantage do mortals gain from this? ¹² Who knows what may be good for mortals while they are alive, during the brief, pointless days they live? Mortals pass by like a shadow. Who will tell them about their future under the sun?