Ecclesiastes 1:14

New International Reader's Version

I’ve seen what is done on this earth. All of it is meaningless. It’s like chasing the wind.

Cross References

Ecclesiastes 12:8

“Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Nothing has any meaning.”

Ecclesiastes 2:11

But then I looked over everything my hands had done. I saw what I had worked so hard to get. And nothing had any meaning. It was like chasing the wind. Nothing was gained on this earth.

Ecclesiastes 2:17

So I hated life. That’s because the work done on this earth made me sad. None of it has any meaning. It’s like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:26

God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness to the person who pleases him. But to a sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth. Then the sinner must hand it over to the one who pleases God. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 3:19

Surely what happens to animals happens to people too. Death waits for people and animals alike. People die, just as animals do. All of them have the same breath. People don’t have any advantage over animals. Nothing has any meaning.

Ecclesiastes 4:16

At first, all the people served him when he became king. But those who came later weren’t pleased with the way he was ruling. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

I also saw that a person works hard and accomplishes a lot. But they do it only because they want what another person has. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:6

One handful with peace and quiet is better than two handfuls with hard work. Working too hard is like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 6:9

Being satisfied with what you have is better than always wanting more. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.

Ecclesiastes 8:16

I used my mind to understand what it really means to be wise. I wanted to observe the hard work people do on earth. They don’t close their eyes and go to sleep day or night.