Ecclesiastes 1 in the early church
151 passages quote, allude to, or echo Ecclesiastes 1, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18
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Ecclesiastes 1 as a whole
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1–Eccl:12 | Canon 60 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | ca. 343–381 |
| Eccl 1–Eccl:12 | Canon 47 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 397 |
Ecclesiastes 1:1
These are the words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:1 | Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 1 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:1 | Commentary on the Song of Songs 0.83 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–245 (Rufinus's translation ca. 410) |
| Eccl 1:1 | Fragment E III (on Ecclesiastes) · Dionysius of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248–265 |
| Eccl 1:1–11 | Homily 1 · Gregory of Nyssa | quotation, high confidence | ca. 379–394 |
Ecclesiastes 1:2
“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”
Ecclesiastes 1:3
What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:3 | Fragment E III (on Ecclesiastes) · Dionysius of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248–265 |
| Eccl 1:3 | Preparation for the Gospel 11.7.6 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Eccl 1:3 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.21.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Eccl 1:3 | On True Religion 21 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 389–391 |
| Eccl 1:3 | Sermon 61.11 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Eccl 1:3 | On Marriage and Concupiscence 2.50 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 419–421 |
Ecclesiastes 1:4
Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:4 | PG 12:1259 (Ps 21–22 LXX) · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Eccl 1:4 | Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 1 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:4 | Commentary on Matthew, Latin Series 54 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 244–249 (Latin translation, 4th–5th century) |
| Eccl 1:4 | Commentary on Romans 6.5 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 244–246 (Rufinus's translation ca. 405–406) |
| Eccl 1:4 | Fragment E III (on Ecclesiastes) · Dionysius of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248–265 |
| Eccl 1:4 | On Virginity 4 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–371 |
| Eccl 1:4 | Book of Rules 1 · Tyconius | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380 |
| Eccl 1:4 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.21.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Eccl 1:4 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.21.3 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Eccl 1:4 | Hexameron (Exameron) 1.22 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 387-390 |
| Eccl 1:4 | Poem 16, lines 1–31 (XVI) · Paulinus of Nola | echo, medium confidence | ca. 393–431 |
| Eccl 1:4 | City of God 12.14 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
| Eccl 1:4 | Sermon 44 · Peter Chrysologus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
| Eccl 1:4 | Letter to Valerian, paragraph 11 · Eucherius of Lyon | echo, low confidence | ca. 432 |
Ecclesiastes 1:5
The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries back to where it rises.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:5 | Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 1 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:5 | On the Words of Scripture 5 · Marius Victorinus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 357–362 |
| Eccl 1:5 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.22.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Eccl 1:5 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.22.3 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Eccl 1:5 | Literal Commentary on Genesis 1.10 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 401–415 |
| Eccl 1:5 | Literal Commentary on Genesis 4.32 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 401–415 |
| Eccl 1:5 | City of God 12.14 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
Ecclesiastes 1:6
The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:6 | Against Celsus 6.35 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248 |
| Eccl 1:6 | On the Words of Scripture 5 · Marius Victorinus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 357–362 |
| Eccl 1:6 | Letter 100.10 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Eccl 1:6 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.22.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Eccl 1:6 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.23.1 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Eccl 1:6 | Exposition of Psalm 118 12.25.2 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Eccl 1:6 | Literal Commentary on Genesis 1.10 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 401–415 |
Ecclesiastes 1:7
All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place from which the streams come, there again they flow.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:7 | Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 1 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:7 | Res. 2.27 · Methodius of Olympus | quotation, high confidence | late 3rd cent. (disputed) |
| Eccl 1:7 | Sang. 3 · Methodius of Olympus | quotation, high confidence | late 3rd cent. (disputed) |
| Eccl 1:7 | Homilies 3.35 · Anonymous | allusion, medium confidence | 4th century (reworking earlier material) |
| Eccl 1:7 | Recognitions 8.24 · Anonymous | echo, medium confidence | Greek original 3rd–4th century; Rufinus's Latin translation before 407 |
| Eccl 1:7 | Oration 43.8 · Gregory of Nazianzus | echo, low confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Eccl 1:7 | Hexaemeron 4.3 · Basil of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370 |
| Eccl 1:7 | On Tobit 44 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380-390 |
| Eccl 1:7 | Theological Oration 2 (Or. 28), On the Doctrine of God 27 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, medium confidence | 380 |
| Eccl 1:7 | Hexameron (Exameron) 3.10 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 387-390 |
| Eccl 1:7 | City of God 12.14 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
Ecclesiastes 1:8
All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:8 | Letters to Virgins 1.11.6 · Anonymous | allusion, medium confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:8 | Homilies on Exodus 11.6 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Eccl 1:8 | Instructions 2.23 · Commodian | echo, low confidence | 3rd century (disputed) |
| Eccl 1:8 | Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 1 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:8 | On the Singleness of Clerics 28 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | 3rd cent. (disputed) |
| Eccl 1:8 | Homilies 7.4 · Basil of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 363-378 |
| Eccl 1:8 | Homilies 15.1 · Basil of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 363-378 |
| Eccl 1:8 | On the Making of Man 10 · Gregory of Nyssa | allusion, high confidence | 379 |
| Eccl 1:8 | On Tobit 44 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 380-390 |
Ecclesiastes 1:9
What has been will be again, and what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 1:10
Is there a case where one can say, “Look, this is new”? It has already existed in the ages before us.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:10 | On First Principles 1.4.5 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220–230 (Rufinus's translation 398) |
| Eccl 1:10 | Preparation for the Gospel 11.9.2 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Eccl 1:10 | On the Words of Scripture 4 · Marius Victorinus | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 357–362 |
| Eccl 1:10 | Letter 124.9 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Eccl 1:10 | City of God 12.14 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | 413–426 |
| Eccl 1:10 | The Conferences 8.21 · John Cassian | quotation, high confidence | ca. 426–429 |
Ecclesiastes 1:11
There is no remembrance of those who came before, and those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow after.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:11 | Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 1 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century |
Ecclesiastes 1:12
I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:12 | Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 1 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:12–18 | Homily 2 · Gregory of Nyssa | quotation, high confidence | ca. 379–394 |
Ecclesiastes 1:13
And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a miserable task God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:13 | Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 1 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:13 | Letter 49.7 · Jerome | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 370–419 |
Ecclesiastes 1:14
I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:14 | On First Principles 1.7.5 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 220–230 (Rufinus's translation 398) |
| Eccl 1:14 | To Quirinus 3.11 · Cyprian of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248–250 (book 3 perhaps later) |
| Eccl 1:14 | Oration 7.19 · Gregory of Nazianzus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Eccl 1:14 | Oration 18.15 · Gregory of Nazianzus | quotation, medium confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Eccl 1:14 | Letter 22.39 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Eccl 1:14 | Eleven Tractates 1.17 · Priscillian | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 380–385 |
| Eccl 1:14 | Sermon 333.1 · Augustine of Hippo | echo, low confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Eccl 1:14 | The Lord's Sermon on the Mount 1.1 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 393–396 |
| Eccl 1:14 | Letters 23.22 · Paulinus of Nola | allusion, high confidence | ca. 394–413 |
| Eccl 1:14 | City of God 19.19 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
Ecclesiastes 1:15
What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:15 | Homilies on Numbers 1.1 · Origen | allusion, low confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Eccl 1:15 | Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 1 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:15 | Canonical Epistle, canon 4 · Peter of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | AD 306 |
| Eccl 1:15 | Homilies on the Psalms 7.6 · Basil of Caesarea | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 360-378 |
| Eccl 1:15 | Against Eunomius 1.4 · Basil of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 364 |
| Eccl 1:15 | Against the Letter of Parmenian 2.35 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 400 |
Ecclesiastes 1:16
I said to myself, “Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:16 | Miscellanies 1.13.58 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Eccl 1:16 | Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 1 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:16–18 | Fragment E III (on Ecclesiastes) · Dionysius of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 248–265 |
| Eccl 1:16 | Theological Oration 2 (Or. 28), On the Doctrine of God 21 · Gregory of Nazianzus | allusion, medium confidence | 380 |
Ecclesiastes 1:17
So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:17 | Miscellanies 1.13.58 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
Ecclesiastes 1:18
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, and as knowledge grows, grief increases.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eccl 1:18 | Miscellanies 1.13.58 · Clement of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 198–203 |
| Eccl 1:18 | Letters to Virgins 1.11.6 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:18 | Metaphrase of Ecclesiastes 1 · Gregory Thaumaturgus | allusion, high confidence | 3rd century |
| Eccl 1:18 | Tractates on the Psalms 126.13 · Hilary of Poitiers | quotation, high confidence | ca. 360–367 |
| Eccl 1:18 | Oration 2.38 · Gregory of Nazianzus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 362–383 |
| Eccl 1:18 | Letter 77.7 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Eccl 1:18 | Sermon 347.3 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Eccl 1:18 | On the Trinity 4.0 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 399–419 |
| Eccl 1:18 | On the Spirit and the Letter 26 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | 412 |