Ecclesiastes 1:4
New International Version
Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.

New Living Translation
Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes.

English Standard Version
A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.

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

King James Bible
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

New King James Version
One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever.

New American Standard Bible
A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever.

NASB 1995
A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever.

NASB 1977
A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever.

Legacy Standard Bible
A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth stands forever.

Amplified Bible
One generation goes and another generation comes, But the earth remains forever.

Christian Standard Bible
A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.

American Standard Version
One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever.

Contemporary English Version
People come, and people go, but still the world never changes.

English Revised Version
One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; and the earth abideth for ever.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Generations come, and generations go, but the earth lasts forever.

Good News Translation
Generations come and generations go, but the world stays just the same.

International Standard Version
A generation goes, a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.

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

NET Bible
A generation comes and a generation goes, but the earth remains the same through the ages.

New Heart English Bible
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

Webster's Bible Translation
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

World English Bible
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth is standing for all time.

Young's Literal Translation
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.

Smith's Literal Translation
A generation went away, and a generation came: and the earth stood forever.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.

Catholic Public Domain Version
A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.

New American Bible
One generation departs and another generation comes, but the world forever stays.

New Revised Standard Version
A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
One generation passes away and another generation comes; but the earth abides for ever.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
A generation goes and a generation comes, and Earth stands to eternity
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; And the earth abideth for ever.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Everything is Futile
3What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun? 4Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. 5The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries back to where it rises.…

Cross References
Psalm 102:25-27
In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. / They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will be passed on. / But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.

Isaiah 40:6-8
A voice says, “Cry out!” And I asked, “What should I cry out?” “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field. / The grass withers and the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass. / The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”

Hebrews 1:10-12
And: “In the beginning, O Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. / They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. / You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed; but You remain the same, and Your years will never end.”

2 Peter 3:10-13
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare. / Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness / as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. ...

Genesis 8:22
As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.”

Psalm 90:1-2
A prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, You have been our dwelling place through all generations. / Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.

1 John 2:17
The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.

Isaiah 51:6
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth below; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and its people will die like gnats. But My salvation will last forever, and My righteousness will never fail.

Revelation 21:1
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

Job 14:1-2
“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble. / Like a flower, he comes forth, then withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.

James 4:14
You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Psalm 104:5
He set the earth on its foundations, never to be moved.

Romans 8:20-22
For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope / that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. / We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.

1 Corinthians 7:31
and those who use the things of this world, as if not dependent on them. For this world in its present form is passing away.


Treasury of Scripture

One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth stays for ever.

one generation

Ecclesiastes 6:12
For 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?

Genesis 5:3-31
And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: …

Genesis 11:20-32
And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug: …

but

Psalm 102:24-28
I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations…

Psalm 104:5
Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

Psalm 119:90,91
Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth…

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Ecclesiastes 1
1. the preacher shows that all human courses are vain
4. because the creatures are restless in their courses
9. they bring forth nothing new, and all old things are forgotten
12. and because he has found it so in the studies of wisdom














Generations come and generations go
This phrase reflects the transient nature of human life, emphasizing the cyclical pattern of birth and death. In biblical context, it echoes the themes found in other wisdom literature, such as the Book of Job and Psalms, which often highlight the brevity of human existence compared to the eternal nature of God. Historically, this understanding would resonate with ancient cultures that observed the repetitive cycles of life and death, often marked by oral traditions and genealogies. The phrase also connects to the genealogical records in Genesis, where the lineage from Adam through Noah and beyond illustrates the passing of generations. This cyclical view underscores the futility of human endeavors without divine purpose, a central theme in Ecclesiastes.

but the earth remains forever
This part of the verse contrasts the fleeting nature of human life with the perceived permanence of the earth. In the ancient Near Eastern context, the earth was seen as a stable, enduring entity, created by God and sustained by His power. This idea is supported by other scriptures, such as Psalm 104:5, which speaks of God setting the earth on its foundations so it can never be moved. Theologically, this permanence points to God's sovereignty and the order He established in creation. While the earth's permanence is emphasized, it is important to note that in the broader biblical narrative, the earth is subject to God's ultimate plan, including its renewal and restoration as prophesied in Revelation 21:1, where a new heaven and a new earth are promised. This reflects the hope of redemption and the eternal kingdom of God, where the temporal and eternal intersect through the work of Jesus Christ.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Solomon
- Traditionally considered the author of Ecclesiastes, Solomon was the son of King David and known for his wisdom. He reflects on the nature of life and the human experience.

2. Israel
- The nation where Solomon reigned as king. The cultural and historical context of Israel during Solomon's time influences the themes of Ecclesiastes.

3. Jerusalem
- The city where Solomon built the temple and reigned as king. It serves as a backdrop for his reflections on life and eternity.
Teaching Points
The Transience of Human Life
Human generations are temporary, emphasizing the need to focus on eternal values rather than temporal achievements.

The Permanence of Creation
The earth's enduring nature serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and the stability found in His creation.

Eternal Perspective
Believers are encouraged to adopt an eternal perspective, recognizing that while human life is fleeting, God's purposes endure.

Stewardship of the Earth
As the earth remains, Christians are called to be responsible stewards of God's creation, caring for it as a reflection of His eternal nature.

Hope in God's Unchanging Nature
The constancy of the earth points to the unchanging nature of God, offering hope and assurance in a world of change.(4) Comp. Ecclesiasticus 14:19.

Verse 4. - One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh. The translation rather weakens the force of the original, which is, a generation goeth, and a generation cometh. Man is only a pilgrim on earth; he soon passes away, and his place is occupied by others. Parallelisms of this sentiment will occur to every reader. Thus Ben-Sira, "All flesh waxeth old as a garment: for the covenant from the beginning is, Thou shalt die the death. As of the green leaves on a thick tree, some fall and some grow; so is the generation of flesh and blood, one cometh to an end, and another is born. Every work rotteth and consumeth away, and the worker thereof shall go withal" (Ecclus. 14:17, etc.; comp. Job 10:21; Psalm 39:13). The famous passage in Homer, 'Iliad,' 6:146, etc., is thus rendered by Lord Derby -

"The race of man is as the race of leaves:
Of leaves, one generation by the wind
Is scattered on the earth; another soon
In spring's luxuriant verdure bursts to light.
So with our race: these flourish, those decay."
(Comp. ibid., 21:464, etc.; Horace, 'Ars Poet.,' 60.) But (and) the earth abideth forever. While the constant succession of generations of men goes on, the earth remains unchanged and immovable. If men were as permanent as is their dwelling-place, their labors might profit; but as things are, the painful contrast between the two makes itself felt. The term, "for ever," like the Greek εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, does not necessarily imply eternity, but often denotes limited or conditioned duration, as when the slave is engaged to serve his master "for ever" (Exodus 21:6), or the hills are called "everlasting" (Genesis 49:26). This verse gives one instance of growth and decay in contrast with insensate continuance. The following verses give further examples.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Generations
דּ֤וֹר (dō·wr)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1755: A revolution of time, an age, generation, a dwelling

come
הֹלֵךְ֙ (hō·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

and generations
וְד֣וֹר (wə·ḏō·wr)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1755: A revolution of time, an age, generation, a dwelling

go,
בָּ֔א (bā)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

but the earth
וְהָאָ֖רֶץ (wə·hā·’ā·reṣ)
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

remains
עֹמָֽדֶת׃ (‘ō·mā·ḏeṯ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations

forever.
לְעוֹלָ֥ם (lə·‘ō·w·lām)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5769: Concealed, eternity, frequentatively, always


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 1:4 One generation goes and another generation comes (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 1:3
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