Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
4 A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
5 The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
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.
Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.
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 streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.
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 these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from 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.
What [is] that which hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely 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.
There is a thing of which [one] saith: 'See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been in the ages that 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 not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
12 I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
I, a preacher, have been 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.
And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
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 have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
15 The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
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 — I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly 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.
And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
18 Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
