Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities! all is vanity.
Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
3 What profit hath man of all his labour wherewith he laboureth under the sun?
What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
4 [One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh, but the earth standeth for ever.
A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
5 The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.
The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
6 The wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about towards the north: it turneth about continually, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.
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.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.
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.
8 All things are full of toil; none can express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
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.
9 That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which will be done: and there is nothing new under the sun.
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.
10 Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already in the ages which were before us.
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.
11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be remembrance of things that are to come with those who shall live afterwards.
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.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
13 And I applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this grievous occupation hath God given to the children of men to weary themselves therewith.
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.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have acquired wisdom more than all they that have been before me over Jerusalem; and my heart hath seen much of wisdom and knowledge.
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.
17 And I applied my heart to the knowledge of wisdom, and to the knowledge of madness and folly: I perceived that this also is a striving after the wind.
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.
18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
