Ecclesiastes 12:8

Contemporary English Version (Anglicised) 2012

Nothing makes sense. I have seen it all— nothing makes sense.

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Nothing makes sense! Everything is nonsense. I have seen it all— nothing makes sense!

We cannot control the wind or determine the day of our death. There is no escape in time of war, and no one can hide behind evil.

Life is short and meaningless, and it fades away like a shadow. Who knows what is best for us? Who knows what will happen after we are gone?

Then I realized that we work and do wonderful things just because we are jealous of others. This makes no more sense than chasing the wind.

This made me hate life. Everything we do is painful; it's just as senseless as chasing the wind.

I have seen it all, and everything is just as senseless as chasing the wind.

We humans are only a breath; none of us are truly great. All of us together weigh less than a puff of air.

When the son of David was king in Jerusalem, he was known to be very wise, and he said:

I said these things when I lived in Jerusalem as king of Israel.

Then I decided to find out all I could about wisdom and foolishness. Soon I realized that this too was as senseless as chasing the wind.