| Christian Standard Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem. | 1The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem." |
| 2"Absolute futility," says the Teacher. "Absolute futility. Everything is futile." | 2Absolute futility," says the Teacher." Absolute futility. Everything is futile." |
| 3What does a person gain for all his efforts that he labors at under the sun? | 3What does a man gain for all his efforts that he labors at under the sun? |
| 4A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. | 4A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. |
| 5The sun rises and the sun sets; panting, it returns to the place where it rises. | 5The sun rises and the sun sets; panting, it returns to its place where it rises. |
| 6Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind, and the wind returns in its cycles. | 6Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind, and the wind returns in its cycles. |
| 7All the streams flow to the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. | 7All the streams flow to the sea, yet the sea is never full. The streams are flowing to the place, and they flow there again. |
| 8All things are wearisome, more than anyone can say. The eye is not satisfied by seeing or the ear filled with hearing. | 8All things are wearisome; man is unable to speak. The eye is not satisfied by seeing or the ear filled with hearing. |
| 9What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. | 9What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun. |
| 10Can one say about anything, "Look, this is new"? It has already existed in the ages before us. | 10Can one say about anything," Look, this is new"? It has already existed in the ages before us. |
| 11There is no remembrance of those who came before; and of those who will come after there will also be no remembrance by those who follow them. | 11There is no remembrance of those who came before; and of those who will come after there will also be no remembrance by those who follow them. |
| 12I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. | 12I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. |
| 13I applied my mind to examine and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied. | 13I applied my mind to seek and explore through wisdom all that is done under heaven. God has given people this miserable task to keep them occupied. |
| 14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. | 14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and have found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind. |
| 15What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. | 15What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. |
| 16I said to myself, "See, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has thoroughly grasped wisdom and knowledge." | 16I said to myself, "Look, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has thoroughly grasped wisdom and knowledge." |
| 17I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly; I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind. | 17I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly; I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind. |
| 18For with much wisdom is much sorrow; as knowledge increases, grief increases. | 18For with much wisdom is much sorrow; as knowledge increases, grief increases. |
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