Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."
3 What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
4 A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
6 it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle.
The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
7 All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
8 Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing.
All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done.
That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: “Behold, this is new!” For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us.
Is there a thing of which it may be said, "Look, this is new?" It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
11 There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end.
There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.
12 I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it.
I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
14 I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and look, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15 The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be counted.
16 I have spoken in my heart, saying: “Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem.” And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
I said to myself, "Look, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."
17 And I have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit.
I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
18 Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
