Ecclesiastes 1:2

God's Word

“Absolutely pointless!” says the spokesman. “Absolutely pointless! Everything is pointless.”

Cross References

Job 11:12

But an empty-headed person will gain understanding when a wild donkey is born tame.

Psalm 144:4

Humans are like a breath of air. Their life span is like a fleeting shadow.

Psalm 89:47

Remember how short my life is! Have you created Adam’s descendants for no reason?

Ecclesiastes 11:10

Get rid of what troubles you or wears down your body, because childhood and youth are pointless.

Ecclesiastes 11:8

Even though people may live for many years, they should enjoy every one of them. But they should also remember there will be many dark days. Everything that is coming is pointless.

Ecclesiastes 12:8

“Absolutely pointless!” says the spokesman. “Everything is pointless!”

Ecclesiastes 2:11

But when I turned to look at all that I had accomplished and all the hard work I had put into it, I saw that it was all pointless. ⌞It was like⌟ trying to catch the wind. I gained nothing ⌞from any of my accomplishments⌟ under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:15

I thought to myself, “⌞If⌟ the destiny that waits for the fool waits for me as well, then what is the advantage in being wise?” So I thought that even this is pointless.

Ecclesiastes 2:17

So I came to hate life because everything done under the sun seemed wrong to me. Everything was pointless. ⌞It was like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:19

Who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? He will still have control over everything under the sun for which I worked so hard and used my wisdom. Even this is pointless.

Ecclesiastes 2:21

Here is someone who had worked hard with wisdom, knowledge, and skill. Yet, he must turn over his estate to someone else, who didn’t work for it. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

Ecclesiastes 2:23

Their entire life is filled with pain, and their work is unbearable. Even at night their minds don’t rest. Even this is pointless.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy to anyone who pleases him. But to the person who continues to sin, he gives the job of gathering and collecting ⌞wealth⌟. The sinner must turn his wealth over to the person who pleases God. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:8

I also gathered silver and gold for myself. I gathered the treasures of kings and provinces. I provided myself with male and female singers and the pleasures men have with one concubine  after another.

Ecclesiastes 3:19

Humans and animals have the same destiny. One dies just like the other. All of them have the same breath ⌞of life⌟. Humans have no advantage over animals. All ⌞of life⌟ is pointless.

Ecclesiastes 4:16

There was no end to all those people, everyone whom he led. But those who will come later will not be happy with the successor. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

Then I saw that all hard work and skillful effort come from rivalry. Even this is pointless. ⌞It’s like⌟ trying to catch the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:8

There are people who are all alone. They have no children or other family members. So there is no end to all the hard work they have to do. Their eyes are never satisfied with riches. But ⌞they never ask themselves⌟ why they are working so hard and depriving themselves of good things. Even this is pointless and a terrible tragedy.

Ecclesiastes 5:10

Whoever loves money will never be satisfied with money. Whoever loves wealth will never be satisfied with more income. Even this is pointless.

Ecclesiastes 6:11

The more words there are, the more pointless they become. What advantage do mortals gain from this?

Romans 8:20

Creation was subjected to frustration but not by its own choice. The one who subjected it to frustration did so in the hope