Ecclesiastes 1:3 - Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

Ecclesiastes 1:3

The Vanity of Life

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, ^aking in Jerusalem.

2 “Vanity¹^a of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“Vanity of vanities, ^ball is vanity.”

3 ^aWhat profit has a man from all his labor
In which he¹ toils under the sun?

4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes;
^aBut the earth abides forever.

5 ^aThe sun also rises, and¹ the sun goes down,
And hastens to the place where it arose.

6 ^aThe wind goes toward the south,
And turns around to the north;
The wind whirls about continually,
And comes again on its circuit.

7 ^aAll the rivers run into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full;
To the place from which the rivers come,
There they return again.

8 All things are¹ full of labor;
Man cannot express it.
^aThe eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor the ear filled with hearing.

9 ^aThat which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.

10 Is there anything of which it may be said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been in ancient times before us.

11 There is ^ano remembrance of former things,
Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come
By those who will come after.

Commentaries:

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown

<< Ecclesiastes 1:2

Ecclesiastes 1:4 >>

Ecclesiastes 1:3

What profit . . . labour—that is, "What profit" as to the chief good (Matthew 16:26). Labor is profitable in its proper place (Genesis 2:15; Genesis 3:19; Proverbs 14:23).

under the sun—that is, in this life, as opposed to the future world. The phrase often recurs, but only in Ecclesiastes.

Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Ecclesiastes 1:3:

Ecclesiastes 1:8

<< Ecclesiastes 1:2

Ecclesiastes 1:4 >>

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The Vanity of Life

A Verse and a Thought,Every Morning

A Verse and a Thought,
Every Morning