Add parallel Print Page Options

Life Is of No Worth

These are the words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. “It is of no use,” says the Preacher. “It is of no use! All is for nothing.”

What does a man get for all his work which he does under the sun? People die and people are born, but the earth stays forever. The sun rises and the sun sets, and travels in a hurry to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north. It goes around and around, and returns again on its way. All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is not full. And they return again to the place from which the rivers flow. All things are tiring. Man is not able to tell about them. The eye never has enough to see, and the ear is never filled with what it hears. What has been is what will be. And what has been done is what will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which one might say, “See, this is new”? It has already been there since long before us. 11 No one remembers the things that happened before. And no one will remember the things that will happen in the future among those who will come later.

Looking for Wisdom Is like Trying to Catch the Wind

12 I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I set my mind to look for wisdom to learn about all that has been done under heaven. It is a hard work which God has given to the sons of men to be troubled with. 14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun. And see, it is all for nothing. It is like trying to catch the wind. 15 What is not straight cannot be made straight. What is not there cannot be numbered. 16 I said to myself, “I have received more wisdom than all who were over Jerusalem before me. My mind has seen much wisdom and much learning.” 17 And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know what is crazy and foolish. I saw that this also is like trying to catch the wind. 18 Because in much wisdom there is much trouble. And he who gets much learning gets much sorrow.

Fun Is of No Worth

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with things that are fun. So have a good time.” But see, this also was for nothing. I said of laughing, “It is crazy,” and of fun, “What use is it?” I tried to find in my mind how to make my body happy with wine, yet at the same time having my mind lead me with wisdom. I tried to find how to take hold of what is foolish, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven during the few years of their lives. I did great things. I built houses for myself. I planted grape-fields for myself. I made gardens and beautiful places for myself, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made pools of water for myself from which to water many new trees. I bought men and women servants, and had other servants who were born in my house. I had more flocks and cattle than anyone before me in Jerusalem. I gathered for myself silver and gold and the riches of kings and lands. I got for myself male and female singers, and kept many women who acted as my wives, the joy of man. Then I became great, greater than all who lived before me in Jerusalem. And my wisdom stayed with me. 10 Whatever my eyes wanted I did not keep away from them. I did not keep my heart from anything that was pleasing, for my heart was pleased with all my work. This was my reward for all my work. 11 Then I thought about all that my hands had done, and the work I had done. I saw that it was all for nothing. It was like trying to catch the wind, and there was nothing to get for it under the sun.

The End of the Wise Man or Fool

12 So I turned to think about wisdom and what is crazy and foolish. For what can the man do who comes after the king, except what has already been done? 13 And I saw that wisdom is better than what is foolish, as light is better than darkness. 14 The wise man’s eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I know that one thing will happen to both of them. 15 Then I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” So I said to myself, “This also is for nothing.” 16 For the wise man will not be remembered forever any more than the fool. All will be forgotten in the days to come. The wise man dies just like the fool! 17 So I hated life. For the work which had been done under the sun brought sorrow to me. Because everything is for nothing and is like trying to catch the wind.

18 I hated what came from all my work which I had done under the sun. For I must leave it to the man who will come after me. 19 And who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will rule over all that I have worked for by acting with wisdom under the sun. This also is for nothing. 20 So I was filled with sorrow for all I had worked for under the sun. 21 For here is a man who has worked with wisdom, much learning, and an able hand. Yet he must give this to one who has not worked for it. This also is for nothing, and very wrong. 22 For what does a man get from all his work and trouble under the sun? 23 For his work brings pain and sorrow all his days. Even during the night his mind does not rest. This also is for nothing.

24 There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and find joy in his work. I have seen that this also is from the hand of God. 25 For who can eat and who can find joy without Him? 26 For God has given wisdom and much learning and joy to the person who is good in God’s eyes. But to the sinner He has given the work of gathering and getting many riches together to give to the one who pleases God. This also is for nothing, like trying to catch the wind.

A Time for Everything

There is a special time for everything. There is a time for everything that happens under heaven. There is a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pick what is planted. There is a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up. There is a time to cry, and a time to laugh; a time to have sorrow, and a time to dance. There is a time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; a time to kiss, and a time to turn from kissing. There is a time to try to find, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away. There is a time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; a time to be quiet, and a time to speak. There is a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

The God-Given Work

What does the worker get for his work? 10 I have seen the work which God has given the sons of men to do. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has put thoughts of the forever in man’s mind, yet man cannot understand the work God has done from the beginning to the end.

12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and to do good as long as they live. 13 And I know that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his work. It is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will last forever. There is nothing to add to it, and nothing to take from it. God works so that men will honor Him with fear. 15 That which is, already has been. And that which will be, has already been. For God allows the same things to happen again.

Sin Is Everywhere

16 Also I have seen under the sun that in the place of what is right and fair there is sin. And in the place of what is right and good there is wrong-doing. 17 I said to myself, “God will judge both the man who is right and good, and the sinful man.” For there is a time for everything to be done and a time for every work. 18 I said to myself about the sons of men, “God is testing them to show them that they are like animals.” 19 For the same thing is to happen to both the sons of men and animals. As one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and to be a man is no better than to be an animal. Because all is for nothing. 20 All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust. 21 Who knows that the spirit of man goes up and the spirit of the animal goes down to the earth? 22 So I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his work, for that is all he can do. Who can bring him to see what will happen after him?

Then I saw all the bad powers that were ruling under the sun. I saw the tears of the people who were suffering under these powers, with no one to comfort them. Those who made it hard for them had the power. But the people had no one to comfort them. So I thought that those who are already dead are better off than those who are still living. But better than both is the one who has never been, who has never seen the wrong that is done under the sun.

I have seen that all the work done is because a man wants what his neighbor has. This also is for nothing, like trying to catch the wind. The fool folds his hands and has no food to eat. One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of work and trying to catch the wind.

Then I looked again at what is of no use under the sun. There was a certain man who lived alone. He did not have a son or a brother. Yet he worked all the time. His eyes were never happy with the riches he had, and he never asked, “For whom am I working and why am I keeping myself from happiness?” This also is for nothing. It is work that brings sorrow.

A True Friend

Two are better than one, because they have good pay for their work. 10 For if one of them falls, the other can help him up. But it is hard for the one who falls when there is no one to lift him up. 11 And if two lie down together, they keep warm. But how can one be warm alone? 12 One man is able to have power over him who is alone, but two can stand against him. It is not easy to break a rope made of three strings.

13 A poor and wise boy is better than an old and foolish king who will no longer listen to words of wisdom. 14 A man can come out of prison to become king, even if he was born poor in his nation. 15 I have seen all the living under the sun gather to the side of the boy who becomes king in his place. 16 There was no end to all the people. He ruled over all of them. Yet those who come later will not be happy with him. For this also is for nothing, like trying to catch the wind.

Do What You Promise

Watch your steps as you go to the house of God. Go near and listen but do not give the gift of fools. For they do not know they are sinning. Do not hurry to speak or be in a hurry as you think what to tell God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth. So let your words be few. For a dream comes with much work, and the voice of a fool comes with many words. When you make a promise to God, do not be late in paying it, for He is not pleased with fools. Pay what you promise to pay! It is better not to make a promise, than to make a promise and not pay it. Do not let your mouth cause you to sin. And do not say to the one sent from God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry because of what you said, and destroy the work of your hands? For when there are many dreams, there are many empty words. Instead of this, honor God with fear.

Money and Honor Are of Little Worth

In one part of a land if you see a bad power held over the poor, and what is right and fair and good taken away, do not be surprised by what you see. For one leader watches over another leader, and more important leaders watch over them. After all, a country does better with a king in power.

10 He who loves money will never have enough money to make him happy. It is the same for the one who loves to get many things. This also is for nothing. 11 When there are more good things, there are also more people to eat them. So what does their owner get except to see them with his eyes? 12 The sleep of the working man is pleasing, if he eats little or much. But the full stomach of the rich man does not let him sleep.

13 There is something very wrong which I have seen under the sun: Riches being kept by the owner and he is hurt by them. 14 When those riches are lost because he used them in a wrong way, and he had become the father of a son, there was nothing left for him. 15 A man comes from his mother without clothing, and he will go as he came. He will take nothing from his work that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is very wrong: As a man is born, this is the way he will leave. So what does the man get who works for the wind? 17 All his life he eats in darkness with much sorrow, sickness and anger.

18 This is what I have seen to be good and right: to eat and to drink and be happy in all the work one does under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him. For this is his reward. 19 As for every man to whom God has given riches and many good things, He has also given him the power to eat from them, receive his reward and be happy in his work. This is the gift of God. 20 For he will not think much about the years of his life, because God keeps him happy in his heart.

There is another bad thing which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard for men: God gives a man riches and many good things and honor, so that he has everything he wants. But He does not allow him to have joy from them, for a stranger has joy from them. This is for nothing, and is very bad. If a man becomes the father of a hundred children and lives many years until he is very old, but he is not happy with good things, and is not buried as he should be, then I say that the child who dies before it is born is shown more favor than he. For this child comes for nothing and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. It never sees the sun and it never knows anything. It is better off than he. Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not find joy in good things, do not all go to the same place?

All a man’s work is for his mouth, and yet his hunger is not filled. For what is better for the wise man than for the fool? And what good does the poor man have who knows how to walk among the living? What the eyes see is better than what there is a desire for. This also is for nothing, like trying to catch the wind.

10 Whatever has come to be has already been given a name. It is known what man is, and that he cannot argue with one who is stronger than he. 11 The more words there are, the more they are worth nothing. What good is that to anyone? 12 For who knows what is good for a man during his life, during the few years of his living for nothing? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will happen after he is gone under the sun?