Ecclesiastes 1
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
5The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
6The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
7All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
11There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
12I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
15That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
17And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
18For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- הָיָהhâyâhH19619× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- כֹּלkôlH36059× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- הֶבֶלhebelH18926× in this chapter
emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
- הוּאhûwʼH19316× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- הָלַךְhâlakH19806× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- לֹאlôʼH38086× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- חׇכְמָהchokmâhH24515× in this chapter
wisdom (in a good sense)
- אֵלʼêlH4135× in this chapter
near, with or among; often in general, to
- עַלʻalH59215× in this chapter
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
- שֶׁמֶשׁshemeshH81215× in this chapter
the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (architectural) a notched battlement
- לֵבlêbH38204× in this chapter
the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything
- עָשָׂהʻâsâhH62134× in this chapter
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72004× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- רוּחַrûwachH73074× in this chapter
wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions)
- תַּחַתtachathH84784× in this chapter
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.
- דָּבָרdâbârH16973× in this chapter
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
- יָדַעyâdaʻH30453× in this chapter
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
- יָכֹלyâkôlH32013× in this chapter
to be able, literally (can, could) or morally (may, might)
- יָסַףyâçaphH32543× in this chapter
to add or augment (often adverbial, to continue to do a thing)
- יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִםYᵉrûwshâlaimH33893× in this chapter
Jerushalaim or Jerushalem, the capital city of Palestine
- אַיִןʼayinH3693× in this chapter
a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle
- מָהmâhH41003× in this chapter
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
- נָתַןnâthanH54143× in this chapter
to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.)
- סָבַבçâbabH54373× in this chapter
to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively
- אָמַרʼâmarH5593× in this chapter
to say (used with great latitude)
- אֲנִיʼănîyH5893× in this chapter
I
- קֹהֶלֶתqôhelethH69533× in this chapter
a (female) assembler (i.e. lecturer); abstractly, preaching (used as a 'nom de plume', Koheleth)
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH8343× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- בֵּןbênH11212× in this chapter
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
- אָדָםʼâdâmH1202× in this chapter
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
- גַּםgamH15712× in this chapter
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
- דָבַרdâbarH16962× in this chapter
perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
- דּוֹרdôwrH17552× in this chapter
properly, a revolution of time, i.e. an age or generation; also a dwelling
- דַּעַתdaʻathH18472× in this chapter
knowledge
- הִנֵּהhinnêhH20092× in this chapter
lo!
- זֶהzehH20882× in this chapter
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
- זִכְרוֹןzikrôwnH21462× in this chapter
a memento (or memorable thing, day or writing)
- זָרַחzârachH22242× in this chapter
properly, to irradiate (or shoot forth beams), i.e. to rise (as the sun); specifically, to appear (as a symptom of leprosy)
- חָדָשׁchâdâshH23192× in this chapter
new
- אַחֲרוֹןʼachărôwnH3142× in this chapter
hinder; generally, late or last; specifically (as facing the east) western