Ecclesiastes 1:2

Free Bible Version

“Everything passes—it's so temporary! It's all so hard to understand!” says the Teacher.

Cross References

Job 11:12

Stupid people will become wise when wild donkeys are born tame!

Psalm 144:4

Humanity is like a breath; their lives are like a passing shadow.

Psalm 89:47

Remember me—my life is so short! Why did you bother creating futile humanity?

Ecclesiastes 11:10

So don't let your mind worry, and avoid things that hurt your body. Even so, despite youth and enthusiasm, life is still so hard to understand!

Ecclesiastes 11:8

May you live for many years, and may you enjoy them all. But remember there will be many days of darkness, and all that is to come is uncertain.

Ecclesiastes 12:8

“Everything passes! It's all so hard to understand!” says the Teacher.

Ecclesiastes 2:11

But when I thought about what I had worked so hard to achieve, everything I'd done, it was so short-lived—as significant as someone trying to catch the wind. There really is no enduring benefit here on earth.

Ecclesiastes 2:15

Then I thought to myself, “If I'm going to end up the same as a fool, what's the point of being so wise?” So I thought to myself, “This is also hard to understand!”

Ecclesiastes 2:17

So I ended up feeling disgusted with life because everything that happens here on earth is so distressing. It's so incomprehensible, like trying to control the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:19

And who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will rule over everything I accomplished through my wisdom here on earth. This is just so frustrating, so hard to understand!

Ecclesiastes 2:21

For you can work wisely, knowledgably, and with skill—and who benefits? Someone who hasn't worked for it! This is both frustrating and totally unjust!

Ecclesiastes 2:23

Your working life is full of trouble and strife—even at night your thoughts keep you awake. This is tough to comprehend!

Ecclesiastes 2:26

To those who are good, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But to the sinner God gives the task of gathering and collecting wealth, only to hand it over to someone who pleases God. This also shows how fleeting life is, and hard to understand—like trying to understand how the wind blows.

Ecclesiastes 2:8

I collected for myself great quantities of silver and gold, paid to me as tribute by kings and provinces. I brought in for myself male and female singers, and enjoyed many concubines—all a man could want!

Ecclesiastes 3:19

For what happens to human beings is the same as what happens to animals—in the same way one dies, the other dies too. They all have the breath of life—so regarding any advantage human beings have over animals, there is none. Definitely this is very hard to understand!

Ecclesiastes 4:16

He is surrounded by crowds of supporters, but the next generation isn't happy with him. This also illustrates the passing nature of life whose meaning is elusive, like pursuing the wind for understanding.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

I observed that every skill in work comes from competition with others. Once again this is hard to understand, like trying to hold on to the elusive wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:8

What about someone who has no family to help him, no brother or son, who works all the time, but isn't satisfied with the money he makes. “Who am I working for?” he asks himself. “Why am I preventing myself from enjoying life?” Such a situation is hard to explain—it's an evil business!

Ecclesiastes 5:10

People who love money never have enough money; those who love wealth never have enough income. This too is so temporary and makes little sense.

Ecclesiastes 6:11

For the more words you use, the harder it is to make sense. So what's the point?

Romans 8:20

For God allowed the purpose of creation to be frustrated.