Verse 11

The more words, the more meaningless—and what advantage does that bring to anyone?

Other Translations

Referenced Verses

  • Ps 73:6 : 6 Therefore, pride is their necklace; violence clothes them like a garment.
  • Eccl 1:6-9 : 6 The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. 7 All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place where the streams come from, there they return again. 8 All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. 9 What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
  • Eccl 1:17-18 : 17 Then I set my heart to understand wisdom, as well as madness and folly, but I learned that this too is a chasing after the wind. 18 For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.
  • Eccl 2:3-9 : 3 I explored with my heart how to cheer my body with wine, while my mind guided me with wisdom, and how to embrace folly until I could see what is good for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives. 4 I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards. 5 I made gardens and parks for myself and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. 6 I made reservoirs of water to irrigate groves of flourishing trees. 7 I acquired male and female servants and had other servants born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem who had come before me. 8 I amassed silver and gold for myself, the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered male and female singers for myself, and the delights of men—many concubines. 9 I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom stayed with me. 10 Anything my eyes desired, I did not withhold from them; I did not keep my heart from any pleasure. My heart took delight in all my labor, for this was my reward for all my efforts. 11 Yet when I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, behold, everything was meaningless—a chasing after the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.
  • Eccl 3:19 : 19 For the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over animals, for everything is meaningless.
  • Eccl 4:1-4 : 1 Again I looked and saw all the oppression that is done under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter. Power was on the side of their oppressors, and they had no comforter. 2 And I praised the dead who had already died, more than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is the one who has not yet been born, who has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. 4 And I saw that all toil and all skill in work are driven by one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
  • Eccl 4:8 : 8 There was a man all alone. He had no son or brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. 'For whom am I toiling,' he asked, 'and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?' This too is meaningless—a miserable business!
  • Eccl 4:16 : 16 There is no end to all the people who were before them, yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
  • Eccl 5:7 : 7 If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights being denied, do not be surprised at such matters. For one official is watched by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.
  • Hos 12:1 : 1 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit. But Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One.