DH
Ecclesiastes · read by David Hocking
77 verses, in order. Only the verses David read aloud are shown.
Ecclesiastes 1
1
These are the words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:Read from ESV · All Is Vanity
2
"Futility of futilities," says the Teacher, "futility of futilities! Everything is futile!"Read from ESV · All Is Vanity
3
What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
6
The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
7
All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place from which the streams come, there again they flow.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
8
All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
9
What has been will be again, and what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
10
Is there a case where one can say, "Look, this is new"? It has already existed in the ages before us.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
11
There is no remembrance of those who came before, and those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow after.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
13
And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
14
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
15
What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
16
I said to myself, "Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge."Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
17
So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
18
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, and as knowledge grows, grief increases.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
Ecclesiastes 2
1
I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy what is good!" But it proved to be futile.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
2
I said of laughter, "It is folly," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?"Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
3
I sought to cheer my body with wine and to embrace folly—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—until I could see what was worthwhile for men to do under heaven during the few days of their lives.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
4
I expanded my pursuits. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
5
I made gardens and parks for myself, where I planted all kinds of fruit trees.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
7
I acquired menservants and maidservants, and servants were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem before me,Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
8
and I accumulated for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered to myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men—many concubines.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
9
So I became great and surpassed all in Jerusalem who had preceded me; and my wisdom remained with me.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
10
Anything my eyes desired, I did not deny myself. I refused my heart no pleasure. For my heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
11
Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
12
Then I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what more can the king's successor do than what has already been accomplished?Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
13
And I saw that wisdom exceeds folly, just as light exceeds darkness:Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
14
The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
15
So I said to myself, "The fate of the fool will also befall me. What then have I gained by being wise?" And I said to myself that this too is futile.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
16
For there is no lasting remembrance of the wise, just as with the fool, seeing that both will be forgotten in the days to come. Alas, the wise man will die just like the fool!Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
17
So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. For everything is futile and a pursuit of the wind.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
18
I hated all for which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
19
And who knows whether that man will be wise or foolish? Yet he will take over all the labor at which I have worked skillfully under the sun. This too is futile.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
20
So my heart began to despair over all the labor that I had done under the sun.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
21
When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge, and skill, and he must give his portion to a man who has not worked for it, this too is futile and a great evil.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
22
For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
23
Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
24
Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
26
To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
Ecclesiastes 3
13
and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
14
I know that everything God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God does it so that they should fear Him.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
15
What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
Ecclesiastes 4
1
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.Read from NKJV · The Tragedies of Life
2
So I admired the dead, who had already died, above the living, who are still alive.Read from NKJV · The Tragedies of Life
3
But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.Read from NKJV · The Tragedies of Life
4
I saw that all labor and success spring from a man's envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.Read from NKJV · The Tragedies of Life
6
Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and pursuit of the wind.Read from NKJV · The Tragedies of Life
8
There is a man all alone, without even a son or brother. And though there is no end to his labor, his eyes are still not content with his wealth: "For whom do I toil and bereave my soul of enjoyment?" This too is futile—a miserable task.Read from NKJV · The Importance of Friendship
9
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.Read from NKJV · The Importance of Friendship
10
For if one falls down, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to help him up!Read from NKJV · The Importance of Friendship
11
Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone?Read from NKJV · The Importance of Friendship
12
And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.Read from NKJV · The Importance of Friendship
13
Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take a warning.Read from NKJV · The Importance of Friendship
14
For the youth has come from the prison to the kingship, though he was born poor in his own kingdom.Read from NKJV · The Importance of Friendship
15
I saw that all who lived and walked under the sun followed this second one, the youth who succeeded the king.Read from NKJV · The Importance of Friendship
16
There is no limit to all the people who were before them. Yet the successor will not be celebrated by those who come even later. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.Read from NKJV · The Importance of Friendship
Ecclesiastes 5
19
Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
20
For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
Ecclesiastes 7
6
For like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This too is futile.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
18
It is good to grasp the one and not let the other slip from your hand. For he who fears God will follow both warnings.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
26
And I find more bitter than death the woman who is a snare, whose heart is a net, and whose hands are chains. The man who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is ensnared.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
Ecclesiastes 8
12
Although a sinner does evil a hundred times and still lives long, yet I also know that it will go well with those who fear God, who are reverent in His presence.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
13
Yet because the wicked do not fear God, it will not go well with them, and their days will not lengthen like a shadow.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
15
So I commended the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be merry. For this joy will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
Ecclesiastes 9
7
Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already approved your works:Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
8
Let your garments always be white, and never spare the oil for your head.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
Ecclesiastes 10
19
A feast is prepared for laughter, and wine makes life merry, but money is the answer for everything.Read from NKJV · Living for Your Job
Ecclesiastes 12
6
Remember Him before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is crushed, before the pitcher is shattered at the spring and the wheel is broken at the well,Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity
7
before the dust returns to the ground from which it came and the spirit returns to God who gave it.Read from NASB1995 · All Is Vanity
9
Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also taught the people knowledge; he pondered, searched out, and arranged many proverbs.Read from NKJV · All Is Vanity