Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
2 All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.
Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
3 What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?
What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
4 One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
5 The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.
The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
6 The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.
Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.
7 All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.
8 All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.
All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.
What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.
10 Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.
Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.
11 There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.
There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,
13 And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.
And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.
14 I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
15 That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.
The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
16 I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem — yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.
I have spoken in my heart, saying: Behold I am become great, and have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem: and my mind hath contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
17 And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
And I have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and vexation of spirit,
18 Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.
Because In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.
