Ecclesiastes 1 · Verse 5

Ecclesiastes 1:5

The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
Ecclesiastes 1:5, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 1:5 in other translations

BSBThe sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries back to where it rises.
WEBThe sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
ASVThe sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.
YLTAlso, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
DARBYThe sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.
BBEThe sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.
WebsterThe sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

What does Ecclesiastes 1:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. (Psa 19:5, 6). "Panting" as the Hebrew for "hasteth"; metaphor, from a runner (Psa 19:5, "a strong man") in a "race." It applies rather to the rising sun, which seems laboriously to mount up to the meridian, than to the setting sun; the accents too favor Maurer, "And (that too, returning) to his place, where panting he riseth."

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 , Ecc 1:6 These verses are confused by being falsely divided. The first clause of the sixth should be joined to the fifth verse. "The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth; going to the south, and circulating to the north."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:4-8

All things change, and never rest. Man, after all his labour, is no nearer finding rest than the sun, the wind, or the current of the river. His soul will find no rest, if he has it not from God. The senses are soon tired, yet still craving what is untried.

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 1:4-8 →

Ecclesiastes 1:5 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.

וְזָרַ֥חve.za.Rachand it risesH2224
הַשֶּׁ֖מֶשׁha.She.meshthe sunH8121
וּבָ֣אu.Va'and it goesH935
הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁha.Sha.meshthe sunH8121
וְאֶ֨ל\־ve.'El-and toH413
מְקוֹמ֔וֹme.ko.Moplace itsH4725
שׁוֹאֵ֛ףsho.'Ef[is] pantingH7602
זוֹרֵ֥חַֽzo.Re.ach[is] risingH2224
ה֖וּאhu'itH1931
שָֽׁם\׃ShamthereH8033

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

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 1:5

  • Psalms 42:1

    To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

  • Habakkuk 3:11

    The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.

  • Psalms 19:4-6

    Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

  • Psalms 104:19-23

    He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. …

  • Joshua 10:13-14

    And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.

  • Psalms 89:36-37

    His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

  • Genesis 8:22

    While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
sun.
Ge 8:22; Ps 19:4-6; 89:36,37; 104:19-23; Jer 33:20
hasteth. Heb. panteth.
Jos 10:13,14; Ps 42:1; Hab 3:11

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

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 1:4

    One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:5

    The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:6

    The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 1

Ecclesiastes 1:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y sale el sol, y pónese el sol, y con deseo vuelve á su lugar donde torna á nacer.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et le soleil se lève, et le soleil se couche, et il se hâte vers son lieu où il se lève.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Sonne geht auf und die Sonne geht unter; und sie eilt ihrem Orte zu, wo sie aufgeht.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Oritur sol et occidit, et ad locum suum revertitur; ibique renascens,