Ecclesiastes 1:13
I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied.
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Referenced Verses
- Eccl 3:10 : 10 I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied.
- Eccl 1:17 : 17 So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!
- Gen 3:19 : 19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return.”
- Eccl 7:25 : 25 True Righteousness and Wisdom Are Virtually Nonexistent I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly.
- Eccl 8:16-17 : 16 Limitations of Human Wisdom When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth– even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night– 17 then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.
- Eccl 12:12 : 12 Concluding Exhortation: Fear God and Obey His Commands! Be warned, my son, of anything in addition to them. There is no end to the making of many books, and much study is exhausting to the body.
- 1 Tim 4:15 : 15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that everyone will see your progress.
- Eccl 8:9 : 9 While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.
- Ps 111:2 : 2 The LORD’s deeds are great, eagerly awaited by all who desire them.
- Prov 2:2-4 : 2 by making your ear attentive to wisdom, and by turning your heart to understanding, 3 indeed, if you call out for discernment– shout loudly for understanding– 4 if you seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure,
- Prov 4:7 : 7 Wisdom is supreme– so acquire wisdom, and whatever you acquire, acquire understanding!
- Prov 18:1 : 1 One who has isolated himself seeks his own desires; he rejects all sound judgment.
- Prov 18:15 : 15 The discerning person acquires knowledge, and the wise person seeks knowledge.
- Prov 23:26 : 26 Give me your heart, my son, and let your eyes observe my ways;
- Eccl 2:23 : 23 For all day long his work produces pain and frustration, and even at night his mind cannot relax! This also is futile!
- Eccl 2:26 : 26 For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth– only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile– like chasing the wind!
- Eccl 4:4 : 4 Labor Motivated by Envy Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless– like chasing the wind.
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- Eccl 1:14-185 verses88%
14I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile– like chasing the wind!
15What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is missing cannot be supplied.
16Futility of Secular Wisdom I thought to myself,“I have become much wiser than any of my predecessors who ruled over Jerusalem; I have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.”
17So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!
18For with great wisdom comes great frustration; whoever increases his knowledge merely increases his heartache.
- Eccl 2:17-2610 verses84%
17So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile– like chasing the wind.
18Futility of Being a Workaholic So I loathed all the fruit of my effort, for which I worked so hard on earth, because I must leave it behind in the hands of my successor.
19Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so wisely on earth! This also is futile!
20So I began to despair about all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so hard on earth.
21For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!
22Painful Days and Restless Nights What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?
23For all day long his work produces pain and frustration, and even at night his mind cannot relax! This also is futile!
24Enjoy Work and its Benefits There is nothing better for people than to eat and drink, and to find enjoyment in their work. I also perceived that this ability to find enjoyment comes from God.
25For no one can eat and drink or experience joy apart from him.
26For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth– only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile– like chasing the wind!
- Eccl 2:9-135 verses84%
9So I was far wealthier than all my predecessors in Jerusalem, yet I maintained my objectivity:
10I did not restrain myself from getting whatever I wanted; I did not deny myself anything that would bring me pleasure. So all my accomplishments gave me joy; this was my reward for all my effort.
11Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded:“All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless– like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”
12Wisdom is Better than Folly Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king’s successor do than what the king has already done?
13I realized that wisdom is preferable to folly, just as light is preferable to darkness:
- 84%
25True Righteousness and Wisdom Are Virtually Nonexistent I tried to understand, examine, and comprehend the role of wisdom in the scheme of things, and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the insanity of folly.
- Eccl 3:9-124 verses83%
9Man is Ignorant of God’s Timing What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?
10I have observed the burden that God has given to people to keep them occupied.
11God has made everything fit beautifully in its appropriate time, but he has also placed ignorance in the human heart so that people cannot discover what God has ordained, from the beginning to the end of their lives.
12Enjoy Life in the Present I have concluded that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to enjoy themselves as long as they live,
- Eccl 8:16-172 verses82%
16Limitations of Human Wisdom When I tried to gain wisdom and to observe the activity on earth– even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night–
17then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.
- Eccl 2:3-42 verses82%
3I thought deeply about the effects of indulging myself with wine(all the while my mind was guiding me with wisdom) and the effects of behaving foolishly, so that I might discover what is profitable for people to do on earth during the few days of their lives.
4Futility of Materialism I increased my possessions: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself.
- 81%
12Futility of Secular Accomplishment I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
- Eccl 1:1-33 verses80%
1¶ Title The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2Introduction: Utter Futility“Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher,“Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!”
3Futility Illustrated from Nature What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?
- 80%
13Most People Are Not Receptive to Wise Counsel This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:
- 79%
15So I thought to myself,“The fate of the fool will happen even to me! Then what did I gain by becoming so excessively wise?” So I lamented to myself,“The benefits of wisdom are ultimately meaningless!”
- 79%
1Everyone Will Die So I reflected on all this, attempting to clear it all up. I concluded that the righteous and the wise, as well as their works, are in the hand of God; whether a person will be loved or hated– no one knows what lies ahead.
- 79%
9While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.
- 78%
1Futility of Self-Indulgent Pleasure I thought to myself,“Come now, I will try self-indulgent pleasure to see if it is worthwhile.” But I found that it also is futile.
- 77%
4Labor Motivated by Envy Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless– like chasing the wind.
- 77%
18I also thought to myself,“It is for the sake of people, so God can clearly show them that they are like animals.
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8Concluding Refrain: Qoheleth Restates His Thesis“Absolutely futile!” laments the Teacher,“All of these things are futile!”
- 77%
7Labor Motivated by Greed So I again considered another futile thing on earth:
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1Not Everyone Enjoys Life Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:
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23Human Wisdom is Limited I have examined all this by wisdom; I said,“I am determined to comprehend this”– but it was beyond my grasp.
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22So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work, because that is their reward; for who can show them what the future holds?
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3This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives– then they die.
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27The Teacher says: I discovered this while trying to discover the scheme of things, item by item.
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9What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.
- 75%
11The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him?
- 74%
10Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go.