Ecclesiastes 1 · Verse 6

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.

Ecclesiastes 1:6, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 1:6 in other translations

BSB	The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course.
WEB	The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
ASV	The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.
YLT	Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.
DARBY	The wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about towards the north: it turneth about continually, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.
BBE	The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.
Webster	The wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about to the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to its circuits.

What does Ecclesiastes 1:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

6. according to his circuits--that is, it returns afresh to its former circuits, however many be its previous veerings about. The north and south winds are the two prevailing winds in Palestine and Egypt.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 6 "The wind is continually whirling about, and the wind returneth upon its whirlings." It is plain, from the clause which I have restored to the fifth verse, that the author refers to the approximations of the sun to the northern and southern tropics, viz., of Cancer and Capricorn. All the versions agree in applying the first clause of the sixth verse to the sun, and not to the wind. Our version alone has mistaken the meaning. My old MS. Bible is quite correct: The sunne riisith up, and goth doun, and to his place turnith agein; and there agein riising, goth about bi the south, and then agein to the north. The author points out two things here: 1. Day and night, marked by the appearance of the sun above the horizon; proceeding apparently from east to west; where he sinks under the horizon, and appears to be lost during the night. 2. His annual course through the twelve signs of the zodiac, when, from the equinoctial, he proceeds southward to the tropic of Capricorn; and thence turneth about towards the north, till he reaches the tropic of Cancer; and so on.

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 1:6 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.

הוֹלֵךְ֙ho.leKh[it is] goingH1980

אֶל\־'el-toH413

דָּר֔וֹםda.Rom[the] southH1864

וְסוֹבֵ֖בve.so.Vevand [it is] circlingH5437

אֶל\־'el-toH413

צָפ֑וֹןtza.Fon[the] northH6828

סוֹבֵ֤ב\׀so.Vevcircling aroundH5437

סֹבֵב֙so.Vevcircling aroundH5437

הוֹלֵ֣ךְho.Lekh[is] goingH1980

הָר֔וּחַha.Ru.achthe windH7307

וְעַל\־ve.'al-and onH5921

סְבִיבֹתָ֖יוse.vi.vo.Tavcircuits itsH5439

שָׁ֥בshav[is] returningH7725

הָרֽוּחַ\׃ha.Ru.achthe windH7307

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

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 1:6

John 3:8
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Ecclesiastes 11:5
As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
Job 37:9
Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north.
Psalms 107:29
He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Job 37:17
How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south wind?
Psalms 107:25
For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

The wind.This verse should be connected with the preceding, and rendered, "The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose; going toward the south, and turning about unto the north. The wind whirleth about continually," etc. Alluding, in the former part, to the apparent daily motion of the sun from east to west, and to his annual course through the signs of the zodiac.
Job 37:9,17; Ps 107:25,29; Jon 1:4; Mt 7:24,27; Joh 3:8
Ac 27:13-15

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

Context

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.
Ecclesiastes 1:7
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 1

Ecclesiastes 1:6 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	El viento tira hacia el mediodía, y rodea al norte; va girando de continuo, y á sus giros torna el viento de nuevo.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Le vent va vers le midi, et il tourne vers le nord; il tourne et retourne; et le vent revient sur ses circuits.
German Elberfelder 1871	Der Wind geht nach Süden, und wendet sich nach Norden; sich wendend und wendend geht er, und zu seinen Wendungen kehrt der Wind zurück.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	gyrat per meridiem, et flectitur ad aquilonem. Lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus, et in circulos suos revertitur.