14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
14 I've seen it all and it's nothing but smoke - smoke, and spitting into the wind.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
14 I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless-like chasing the wind.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:14
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 1:12-18
(Read Ecclesiastes 1:12-18)
Solomon tried all things, and found them vanity. He found his searches after knowledge weariness, not only to the flesh, but to the mind. The more he saw of the works done under the sun, the more he saw their vanity; and the sight often vexed his spirit. He could neither gain that satisfaction to himself, nor do that good to others, which he expected. Even the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom discovered man's wickedness and misery; so that the more he knew, the more he saw cause to lament and mourn. Let us learn to hate and fear sin, the cause of all this vanity and misery; to value Christ; to seek rest in the knowledge, love, and service of the Saviour.