LEB ECC chapter 1

All Toil is Profitless and Repetitious

3 with which he toils under the sun?
4  but the earth stands forever.
5  to its place it hurries,[fn] and there it rises again.
6  around and around it goes, and on its circuit the wind returns.
7  but the sea is never full;

to the place where the streams flow,
- there they continue to flow.
- 8 [fn] no one can ever finish describing this.[fn]
The eye is never[fn] satisfied with seeing,
- and the ear is never[fn] filled with hearing.
- 9  what has been done—it is what will be done;
  - there is nothing new under the sun.
- 10 of which it is said, “Look at this! This is new!” But it already existed in ages past before us.
- 11  nor will there be remembrance of future generations.

Qohelet Introduces His Quest

12 I, the Teacher,[fn] was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 I applied my mind to seek and to search by wisdom all that is done under the heavens.[fn] It is a grievous task God has given to humans.[fn] 14 I saw all the works that are done under the sun. Look! Everything is vanity and chasing wind.

15 [fn] and what is lacking cannot be counted.[fn]

16 I said to myself,[fn] “Look! I have become great and have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has preceded[fn] me over Jerusalem. I have acquired a great deal of wisdom and knowledge.”[fn] 17 So I dedicated myself[fn] to learn about wisdom and to learn about delusion and folly. However, I discovered[fn] that this also is chasing wind.

18 is much frustration,[fn] and whoever increases knowledge increases sorrow.

1:1 Hebrew “Qohelet”

1:1 The MT reads “it gasps for breath ,” which is supported by LXX “to draw breath ”; the BHS editors suggest “it returns again”

1:1 Or “are wearisome”

1:1 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

1:1 Or “not”

1:12 Hebrew “Qohelet”

1:13 MT reads “under the heavens,” which is supported by LXX; however, several versions (Syriac Peshitta, Aramaic Targum, Latin Vulgate) as well as the Cairo Geniza manuscript read, “under the sun,” cf. 1:3, 9, etc.

1:13 Literally “the sons of the man”

1:14 The MT reads the active “to be straight”; however, the BHS editors suggest the passive “to be straightened,” which is supported by LXX, which reflects a passive form

1:14 The MT reads “to be numbered”; however, the BHS editors suggest “to be supplied,” comparing 1:15b with similar wording in the Babylonian Talmud: “May the Almighty replenish your loss” (b. Berachot 16b)

1:16 Literally “I myself said to my heart”

1:16 Literally “before me”

1:16 Literally “And my mind has seen much wisdom and knowledge”

1:17 Literally “So I gave my heart”

1:17 Or “I knew”

1:17 Or “vexation”

LEB ECC Chapter 1