Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
5 The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
6 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.
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 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.
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 All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with 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 hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall 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 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.
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 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.
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 over Israel in Jerusalem,
I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 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.
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 things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of 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 hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
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 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.
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 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,
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 In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.
for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
