Ecclesiastes 1 · Verse 14

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Ecclesiastes 1:14, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 1:14 in other translations

BSBI have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.
WEBI have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
ASVI have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
YLTI have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole is vanity and vexation of spirit!
DARBYI have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
BBEI have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
WebsterI have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

What does Ecclesiastes 1:14 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
14. The reason is here given why investigation into man's "works" is only "sore travail" (Ec 1:13); namely, because all man's ways are vain (Ec 1:18) and cannot be mended (Ec 1:15). vexation of--"a preying upon" the Spirit--Maurer translates; "the pursuit of wind," as in Ec 5:16; Ho 12:1, "Ephraim feedeth on wind." But old versions support the English Version.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 14 Behold, all is vanity - After all these discussions and experiments, when even the results have been the most successful, I have found only rational satisfaction; but not that supreme good by which alone the soul can be made happy. O curas hominum! O quantum est in rebus inane! "How anxious are our cares, and yet how vain The bent of our desires!" Pers. Sat. i., 5: 1.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:12-18

Solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. He found his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man's…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 →

Ecclesiastes 1:14 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

רָאִ֙יתִי֙ra.'I.tiI have seenH7200
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
כָּל\־kol-allH3605
הַֽמַּעֲשִׂ֔יםha.ma.'a.Simthe worksH4639
שֶֽׁנַּעֲשׂ֖וּshe.na.'a.Suthat <they> have been doneH6213
תַּ֣חַתTa.chatunderH8478
הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshthe sunH8121
וְהִנֵּ֥הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
הַכֹּ֛לha.Kol<the> everythingH3605
הֶ֖בֶלHe.vel[is] futilityH1892
וּרְע֥וּתu.re.'Utand striving ofH7469
רֽוּחַ\׃Ru.achwindH7307

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 1:14

  • Ecclesiastes 2:11

    Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:17

    Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:26

    For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Ecclesiastes 6:9

    Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:17-18

    And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

  • Psalms 39:5-6

    Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

  • Ecclesiastes 4:4

    Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • 1 Kings 4:30-32

    And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
17,18; 2:11,17,26; 1Ki 4:30-32; Ps 39:5,6

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 1:13

    And 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:14

    I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:15

    That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 1

Ecclesiastes 1:14 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Yo miré todas las obras que se hacen debajo del sol; y he aquí, todo ello es vanidad y aflicción de espíritu.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		J’ai vu tous les travaux qui se font sous le soleil; et voici, tout est vanité et poursuite du vent.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ich habe alle die Taten gesehen, welche unter der Sonne geschehen; und siehe, alles ist Eitelkeit und ein Haschen nach Wind.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Vidi cuncta quæ fiunt sub sole, et ecce universa vanitas et afflictio spiritus.