Help: Vexation vs. chasing after the wind

[Guest Guest]

I was reading KJV Ecclesiastes 1:14-17. Can anyone tell me how "vexation of spirit" came to be "chasing after the wind"?

KJV Ecclesiastes 1:14-17
14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
15That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
17And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

NIV Ecclesiastes 1:14-17
14 I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
15 What is twisted cannot be straightened;
what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I thought to myself, "Look, I have grown and increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge." 17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.

[zealyouthguy]

Well I am certainly not defending the NIV, but probably from:

Ecclesiastes 1:14 14 I have seen all the works that are done <`asah> under the sun ; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit .

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary
7469. r@`uwth
Search for H7469 in KJVSL
twer r@`uwth reh-ooth'
probably from 7462; a feeding upon, i.e. grasping after:--vexation.

See Hebrew 7462


and

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary
7307. ruwach
Search for H7307 in KJVSL
xwr ruwach roo'-akh
from 7306; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions):--air, anger, blast, breath, X cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)), tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y).

See Hebrew 7306

[Guest Guest]

Thank you (zealyouthguy) for the information. I was asking because it seems to me that there is a huge "meaning" gap between the two.

[282Mikado]

Thank you (zealyouthguy) for the information. I was asking because it seems to me that there is a huge "meaning" gap between the two.

There is. If you look at the word for "spirit" or "wind" the intent is "only of a rational being" which would fit the SPIRIT conotation much better. There a lot of these gaps between the KJV and NIV.