1
These are 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 profit has a man from all his labor under the sun?
4
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5
The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises again.
6
The wind goes toward the south, and turns about to the north; continually it turns, and in its turning the wind returns again.
7
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers flow, there they continue to flow.
8
All things are wearisome, more than one can speak; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9
What has been will be again, and what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
10
Is there anything of which one may say, “See, this is new”? It has already been, long before us.
11
There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of things yet to come among those who come after.
12
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13
I set my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is a grievous task that God has given to the children of man to be occupied with.
14
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
15
What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered.
16
I said in my heart, “See, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”
17
I set my heart to understand wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly. But I perceived that this also is a striving after wind,
18
for in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
🌫️🌀⏳ Summary of Ecclesiastes 1 – All Is Vanity Under the Sun
The book of Ecclesiastes begins with a sharp declaration: “Vanity of vanities!” This chapter is the introduction to King Solomon’s (the Preacher’s) search for the true meaning of life. He begins with observations of nature, time, and history — then concludes that all human effort does not bring true satisfaction, because everything repeats, grows weary, and is fleeting without God.
📌 1. All Is Vanity (verses 1–3)
“Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
- The word “vanity” (Hebrew: hebel) = vapor, shadow, something temporary
- Man labors hard, but the result does not bring lasting meaning
🎯 Without God, all human achievement passes away without meaning.
📌 2. A Wearisome & Never-Ending Cycle (verses 4–7)
“A generation comes, and a generation goes, but the earth remains…”
- The sun rises & sets
- The wind turns
- Rivers flow — yet the sea is never full
🎯 Nature keeps turning, man grows weary — but there is no spiritual satisfaction in it.
📌 3. There Is Nothing New Under the Sun (verses 8–11)
“There is nothing new under the sun…”
- What appears new has actually happened before
- Human memory is short → so mistakes and futile searching keep repeating
🎯 Without God, history is only repetition without direction.
📌 4. Worldly Wisdom Does Not Answer the Void (verses 12–18)
“I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom…”
- Even wisdom and knowledge can increase sorrow
- “In much wisdom is much grief…”
🎯 Human knowledge and searching are not enough to answer the deepest meaning of life.
📖 Main Teaching
- All labor and searching without God is empty
- The universe keeps turning, but the human soul remains thirsty
- There is nothing new in this world if there is no renewal from God
- Human wisdom is not enough to satisfy the heart
- We need something eternal, not merely activity under the sun
✨ Spiritual Meaning (New Testament)
“Everyone who drinks this water will thirst again… but the water that I give will become a spring within him…”
“For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things that are not seen are eternal.”
“I count all things as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ…”
“Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth.”
🎯 Ecclesiastes 1 is the voice of human honesty that is empty without Christ — and the Gospel answers the true need of the soul.
🕊️ “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” – Ecclesiastes 1:2
🕊️ “There is nothing new under the sun.” – Ecclesiastes 1:9
🕊️ “In much wisdom is much grief…” – Ecclesiastes 1:18
🕊️ “What has been will be again…” – Ecclesiastes 1:9
