100+ Powerful Bible Quotes from Ecclesiastes – Timeless Wisdom for Life

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”

What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?

Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.

The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.

All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full.

Everything is wearisome, more than one can say.

No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered.

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.

When goods increase, so do those who consume them.

The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much.

The wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.

A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to uproot.

A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to build.

A time to weep and a time to laugh.

A time to mourn and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them.

A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.

A time to search and a time to give up.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to be silent and a time to speak.

I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good.”

I tried cheering myself with wine.

And embracing folly—till I could see what was worthwhile for people to do under the heavens during the few days of their lives.

I undertook great projects: I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.

I made gardens and parks and planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.

I acquired male and female servants and had other private servants as well.

I collected silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces.

I had singers, both men and women, and the delights of the heart—many concubines.

Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Nothing was gained under the sun.

So I hated life because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me.

All is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.

Even as fools walk along the road, they lack sense and show everyone how foolish they are.

If a ruler’s anger rises against you, do not leave your post; calmness can subdue great offenses.

Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves the life of its possessor.

Consider what God has done: Who can straighten what He has made crooked?

When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.

I have seen everything during my lifetime of futility.

The righteous perish, and no one takes it to heart.

Wisdom excels when one rules by it.

The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.

Folly brings death to fools, just as wisdom gives life to the wise.

It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil.

This too, I see, is from the hand of God.

For without Him, who can eat or find enjoyment?

To the person who pleases Him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness.

But to the sinner, He gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to someone who pleases God.

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.

Before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them.”

Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.

There is nothing better for a person than to eat and drink and find joy in their work.

This is also from the hand of God.

God gives His gifts generously, and we should receive them with thanksgiving.

Whatever God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.

God does this so that people will fear Him.

Whatever is has already been, and whatever will be has been before.

No one knows what will happen under the sun.

Man cannot discover anything about his future.

I know that everything God does will endure forever.

He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Also, He has set eternity in the human heart.

Yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear of hearing.

The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails.

Given by one Shepherd, all Scripture is inspired by God.

Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as they come, so they depart.

They take nothing from their toil that they can carry with them.

The dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Live joyfully with the wife whom you love all the days of this meaningless life.

Because this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning.

No one knows when their hour will come.

Like fish caught in a cruel net, or birds taken in a snare, so people are trapped by evil times that fall suddenly upon them.

The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong.

Nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned.

Time and chance happen to them all.

The same destiny overtakes all—the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad.

Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.

Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.

It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting.

For death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart.

Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.

It is better to heed a wise man’s rebuke than to listen to the song of fools.

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise—why destroy yourself?

Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool—why die before your time?

It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other.

Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.

The words of the wise are like goads.

Their collected sayings are like firmly embedded nails.

Given by one Shepherd, they guide the soul.

The teacher sought to find pleasing words.

He wrote accurate and truthful teachings.

The final word on the matter is: Fear God and keep His commandments.

For this is the duty of all mankind.

Of making many books there is no end.

Much study wearies the body.

Let your words be few.

When words are many, sin is not absent.

But when you are restrained in speech, wisdom shines through.

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.

Before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark.

And the clouds return after the rain.

When the keepers of the house tremble.

And the strong men stoop.

When the grinders cease because they are few.

And those looking through the windows grow dim.

Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.

For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing.

Whether it is good or evil.

Life is short, but eternity is long.

Set your heart on things above, not on earthly things.