Passage

Ecclesiastes 1.6

Book: Ecclesiastes · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"4. One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever. 5. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth."

"6. 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."

"7. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again. 8. All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing." (Ecclesiastes 1:4-8, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"4. One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever. 5. The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises."

"6. 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."

"7. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again. 8. All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing." (Ecclesiastes 1:4-8, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"4. One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. 5. The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. ^{hasteth: Heb. panteth}"

"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."

"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. ^{return: Heb. return to go} 8. All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing." (Ecclesiastes 1:4-8, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"4. A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing. 5. Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there."

"6. 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."

"7. All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go. 8. All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing." (Ecclesiastes 1:4-8, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: Qohelet (traditionally Solomon)
Audience: wisdom-seekers facing life's apparent vanity
Location: Israel
Time period: traditionally c. 935 BC (Solomon); some scholars date later c. 450-200 BC

Theological reading

Key words

H7307 - ruach, ruach (Strong's H7307). Also appears in: Genesis 1.2, Genesis 3.8, Genesis 6.
H7725 - shuv, shuv (Strong's H7725). Also appears in: Genesis 3, Genesis 15.16, Genesis 16.7-13.

Quoted in

Bible Anticipates Science

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.