Read the Bible
KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Ecclesiastes 1:3–5

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
Share
Email linkOpen a new message in your email app
Read chapterReport issue
More

PASSAGE SELECTION

Build from either side

3 selected · 15 available

Add or remove verses within this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

All 44 ranked passages are available for comparison.

From verse 3

  1. Ecclesiastes 3:9Rank 1 from verse 3
    Open

    9What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

  2. Ecclesiastes 2:22Rank 2 from verse 3
    Open

    22For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

  3. Ecclesiastes 5:16Rank 3 from verse 3
    Open

    16And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

  4. Ecclesiastes 2:11Rank 4 from verse 3
    Open

    11Then 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.

  5. Mark 8:36–37Rank 5 from verse 3
    Open

    36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

    37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

  6. John 6:27Rank 6 from verse 3
    Open

    27Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

  7. Proverbs 23:4–5Rank 7 from verse 3
    Open

    4Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.

    5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.

  8. Ecclesiastes 2:19Rank 8 from verse 3
    Open

    19And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This is also vanity.

  9. Isaiah 55:2Rank 9 from verse 3
    Open

    2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

  10. Matthew 16:26Rank 10 from verse 3
    Open

    26For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

  11. Ecclesiastes 8:15–17Rank 11 from verse 3
    Open

    15Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

    16¶ When I applied mine heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done upon the earth: (for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes:)

    17Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.

  12. Habakkuk 2:13Rank 12 from verse 3
    Open

    13Behold, is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire, and the people shall weary themselves for very vanity?

  13. Ecclesiastes 4:3Rank 13 from verse 3
    Open

    3Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

  14. Ecclesiastes 5:18Rank 14 from verse 3
    Open

    18¶ Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

  15. Ecclesiastes 6:12Rank 15 from verse 3
    Open

    12For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

  16. Ecclesiastes 7:11Rank 16 from verse 3
    Open

    11¶ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

  17. Ecclesiastes 9:13Rank 17 from verse 3
    Open

    13¶ This wisdom have I seen also under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:

  18. Ecclesiastes 9:3Rank 18 from verse 3
    Open

    3This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

  19. Ecclesiastes 9:6Rank 19 from verse 3
    Open

    6Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

  20. Ecclesiastes 4:7Rank 20 from verse 3
    Open

    7¶ Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun.

  21. Habakkuk 2:18Rank 21 from verse 3
    Open

    18¶ What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols?

From verse 4

  1. Psalms 104:5Rank 1 from verse 4
    Open

    5Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

  2. Ecclesiastes 6:12Rank 2 from verse 4
    Open

    12For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

  3. Zechariah 1:5Rank 3 from verse 4
    Open

    5Your fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?

  4. Matthew 24:35Rank 4 from verse 4
    Open

    35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

  5. Psalms 119:90–91Rank 5 from verse 4
    Open

    90Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

    91They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.

  6. 2 Peter 3:10–13Rank 6 from verse 4
    Open

    10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

    11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

    12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

    13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

  7. Psalms 102:24–28Rank 7 from verse 4
    Open

    24I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.

    25Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

    26They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

    27But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

    28The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.

  8. Psalms 89:47–48Rank 8 from verse 4
    Open

    47Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?

    48What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.

  9. Genesis 5:3–31Rank 9 from verse 4
    Open

    3¶ And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

    4And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:

    5And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.

    6And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:

    7And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:

    8And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.

    9¶ And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:

    10And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:

    11And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.

    12¶ And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:

    13And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:

    14And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.

    15¶ And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:

    16And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:

    17And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.

    18¶ And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:

    19And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

    20And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.

    21¶ And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:

    22And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

    23And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:

    24And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.

    25And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:

    26And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:

    27And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.

    28¶ And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:

    29And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.

    30And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:

    31And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.

  10. Psalms 90:9–10Rank 10 from verse 4
    Open

    9For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

    10The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

  11. Exodus 1:6–7Rank 11 from verse 4
    Open

    6And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation.

    7¶ And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.

  12. Exodus 6:16–27Rank 12 from verse 4
    Open

    16¶ And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years.

    17The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.

    18And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years.

    19And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.

    20And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.

    21¶ And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.

    22And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.

    23And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

    24And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.

    25And Eleazar Aaron’s son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.

    26These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the Lord said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.

    27These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.

  13. Genesis 11:20–32Rank 13 from verse 4
    Open

    20And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:

    21And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters.

    22And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:

    23And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.

    24And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:

    25And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.

    26And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

    27¶ Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.

    28And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.

    29And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.

    30But Sarai was barren; she had no child.

    31And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.

    32And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

  14. Genesis 36:9–19Rank 14 from verse 4
    Open

    9¶ And these are the generations of Esau the father of the Edomites in mount Seir:

    10These are the names of Esau’s sons; Eliphaz the son of Adah the wife of Esau, Reuel the son of Bashemath the wife of Esau.

    11And the sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.

    12And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esau’s son; and she bare to Eliphaz Amalek: these were the sons of Adah Esau’s wife.

    13And these are the sons of Reuel; Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife.

    14¶ And these were the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah the daughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife: and she bare to Esau Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah.

    15¶ These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz,

    16Duke Korah, duke Gatam, and duke Amalek: these are the dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these were the sons of Adah.

    17¶ And these are the sons of Reuel Esau’s son; duke Nahath, duke Zerah, duke Shammah, duke Mizzah: these are the dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Bashemath Esau’s wife.

    18¶ And these are the sons of Aholibamah Esau’s wife; duke Jeush, duke Jaalam, duke Korah: these were the dukes that came of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, Esau’s wife.

    19These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their dukes.

  15. Genesis 47:9Rank 15 from verse 4
    Open

    9And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.

From verse 5

  1. Habakkuk 3:11Rank 1 from verse 5
    Open

    11The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.

  2. Psalms 19:4–6Rank 2 from verse 5
    Open

    4Their 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,

    5Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

    6His 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.

  3. Psalms 42:1Rank 3 from verse 5
    Open

    1AS the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

  4. Genesis 8:22Rank 4 from verse 5
    Open

    22While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

  5. Joshua 10:13–14Rank 5 from verse 5
    Open

    13And 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.

    14And 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.

  6. Psalms 104:19–23Rank 6 from verse 5
    Open

    19He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.

    20Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.

    21The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.

    22The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.

    23Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.

  7. Psalms 89:36–37Rank 7 from verse 5
    Open

    36His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.

    37It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

  8. Jeremiah 33:20Rank 8 from verse 5
    Open

    20Thus saith the Lord; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season;

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 1:3

COMBINED MEANING

profit

↗

Sense 1: Benefit or advantage. Sense 2: To benefit, improve, or advance.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

man

↗

1. A human being or person. 2. Mankind collectively. 3. A male person.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

labour

↗

1. Work, toil, effort, exertion, service, or the product of work. 2. Weariness or trouble. 3. Travail in childbirth. 4. To work, strive, serve, or exert oneself.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

which

↗

1. An interrogative or relative pronoun identifying one or more persons or things from a stated or implied set. 2. That which; what.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

taketh

↗

Third-person singular present form of take: receives, seizes, carries, accepts, chooses, or lays hold of.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sun

↗

The great light that rules the day and gives light and heat.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 1:4

COMBINED MEANING

passeth

↗

Third-person singular present form of pass, meaning to go by, through, over, or beyond; to happen, cease, or be transferred.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

another

↗

1. In "one another" and like reciprocal or distributive constructions, each the other, or one in relation to the other or others. 2. One other, one more, or a different or additional person or thing.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

but

↗

Sense 1: However; marking contrast or qualification. Sense 2: Except or unless; excluding all others or alternatives. Sense 3: Only; no more than what follows.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Skeat 1893 · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

earth

↗

Sense 1: The world in distinction from heaven. Sense 2: Dry land, ground, soil, or dust. Sense 3: A land, region, or its inhabitants.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

for

↗

1. In behalf of or in the place of. 2. With respect to, concerning, or toward. 3. Because of or on account of. 4. During or throughout. 5. In order to obtain or reach. 6. As a conjunction, because or seeing that.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

for ever

↗

1. Without end; for all time. 2. Continually or permanently throughout the duration in view.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

ever

↗

At any time; always or continually; throughout all time or for ever.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Ecclesiastes 1:5

COMBINED MEANING

sun

↗

The great light that rules the day and gives light and heat.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

hasteth

↗

Third-person singular present form of haste (to hurry, act quickly, or make speed).

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

place

↗

Sense 1: A physical location or room. Sense 2: A position or office. Sense 3: An occasion, circumstance, or passage. Sense 4: To set, fix, locate, or establish.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

arose

↗

1. Rose, stood up, got up, or moved upward from a lower, lying, seated, fallen, or inactive position. 2. Began, emerged, appeared, came into being, or came forward. 3. Took action, intervened, or undertook the stated work. 4. Rose from death; returned to life.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

READ THE PASSAGE

View in context

Suggested context · Ecclesiastes 1:1–11

The selected passage is highlighted. Context is a study aid.

1:1THE words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

1:2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

1:3What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

Selected passage

1:4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

Selected passage

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

Selected passage

1:6The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

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

1:8All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

1:9The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

1:10Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

1:11There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Ask a Pastor Near You

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to find nearby pastors committed to holding fast the faithful word.

Your ZIP is processed in this browser from local data. It is not sent to a ZIP lookup service or to a church. ZIP coordinates from GeoNames, licensed under CC BY 4.0.