English: Easy to Read Version

[1] 1:2 meaningless . a waste of time The Hebrew word means "vapor or breath" or "something that is useless, meaningless, empty, wrong, or a waste of time."

[2] 1:3 in this life Literally, "under the sun." Also in verses 9, 13.

[3] 1:8 Words cannot fully explain things Literally, "All words are weak."

[4] 1:8 but people continue speaking The Hebrew could also be translated, "Man cannot speak."

[5] 1:14 trying to catch the wind Or, "It is very troubling to the spirit." The word for "troubling" can also mean "craving," and the word for "spirit" can also mean "wind." Also in verse 17.

[6] 2:4 vineyard A garden or farm where grapes are grown.

[7] 2:11 trying to catch the wind Or, "It is very troubling to the spirit." The word for "troubling" can also mean "craving," and the word for "spirit" can also mean "wind." Also in verses 17, 26.

[8] 2:11 in this life Literally, "under the sun." Also in verses 17, 22.

[9] 2:12 And I thought . before him Here, the Hebrew is hard to understand.

[10] 2:24-25 Or, "<24>The best people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy their work. I also saw that this comes from God. <25>No one can eat or enjoy life without God."

[11] 3:5 Literally, "There is a time to throw stones away and a time to gather stones."

[12] 3:11 the ability . world Or, "a desire to know the future."

[13] 3:15 Or, "What happens now also happened in the past. What happens in the future has also happened before. God makes things happen again and again."

[14] 3:16 in this life Literally, "under the sun."

[15] 3:19 breath Or, "spirit."

[16] 4:3 in this world Literally, "under the sun."

[17] 4:4 trying to catch the wind Or, "It is very troubling to the spirit." The word for "troubling" can also mean "craving," and the word for "spirit" can also mean "wind." Also in verse 16.

[18] 4:15 in this life Literally, "under the sun."

[19] 5:1 sacrifice To offer a gift to God as an expression of worship, thanksgiving, or payment for sin. Also, the gift that is offered. In the Old Testament it was usually a special animal that was killed and burned on an altar. The Old Testament sacrifices offered for sins were symbolic of the perfect sacrifice that God himself would provide through Jesus Christ. Jesus gave his own life as a sacrifice to pay for the sins of all people. See Hebrews 10:1-14.

[20] 5:6 priest Or, "angel" or "messenger." This might be an angel, a priest, or a prophet.

[21] 5:9 The ruler . owns him Or, "One ruler is cheated by a higher ruler. And they are cheated by an even higher ruler. <9>Even the king gets his share of the profit. The wealth of the country is divided among them."

[22] 5:13 in this life Literally, "under the sun." Also in 6:1.

[23] 5:13 for the future Or, "to their harm."

[24] 5:20 God . to do Or, "God will do whatever he wants to them."

[25] 6:6 then the baby . the same end Or, "Isn't it true that all go to the same place?"

[26] 6:9 Or, "Having what you can see is better than chasing after the things you want. This is also like trying to catch the wind."

[27] 7:1 A good reputation . pleasures Literally, "better a name than good perfume." This is a wordplay in Hebrew. The word for "name" and the word for "perfume" sound alike.

[28] 7:6 Or, "The cackling of fools, like the crackling of thorns under a pot, is senseless."

[29] 7:11 Wise people Literally, "People who see the sun." This means wise people can see and plan what they should do.

[30] 7:18 Try . of that Or, "Hold onto this, but don't let go of that."

[31] 8:15 in this life Literally, "under the sun." Also in verse 16 and 9:3, 9, 11, 13.

[32] 9:2 sacrifice To offer a gift to God as an expression of worship, thanksgiving, or payment for sin. Also, the gift that is offered. In the Old Testament it was usually a special animal that was killed and burned on an altar. The Old Testament sacrifices offered for sins were symbolic of the perfect sacrifice that God himself would provide through Jesus Christ. Jesus gave his own life as a sacrifice to pay for the sins of all people. See Hebrews 10:1-14.

[33] 9:18 fool Literally, "sinner."

[34] 10:4 If you . great mistakes Literally, "A healer can put to rest great sins." The word "healer" means a person who is forgiving and tries to help other people.

[35] 10:5 in this life Literally, "under the sun."

[36] 10:17 comes from a good family Literally, "is a son of freedmen." This is a person who was never a slave and whose parents were not slaves.

[37] 11:1 Do good . go Or, "Throw your bread on the water."

[38] 11:2 Invest . different things Or, "Give a part to seven, or even eight."

[39] 11:10 Don't let . sin Or, "Don't worry about things. Protect yourself from troubles."

[40] 12:1 I have wasted my life Literally, "I take no pleasure in them." This might mean "I don't like the things I did when I was young" or "I don't enjoy life now that I am old."

[41] 12:5 desire Or, "appetite" or "sexual desire." Here, the Hebrew is hard to understand.

[42] 12:5 mourners People who cry at a funeral. In Bible times, there were professional mourners who were hired to show great sadness at a person's funeral.

[43] 12:8 meaningless . a waste of time The Hebrew word means "vapor," "breath," or "something that is useless, meaningless, empty, wrong, or a waste of time."

[44] 12:9 arranged This Hebrew word means "to make straight," "arrange," "correct, or "edit."

[45] 12:13-14 Now . book Literally, "The sum of the matter, when all is heard, is ."