Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
5 The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
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.
arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.
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 rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
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 things are full of labour; a man will not be able to speak [of them]: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be filled with 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 has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing which shall be done: and there is no 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.
[Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed 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 no memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last [time].
12 I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,
I the Preacher was 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 applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled therewith.
14 I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
I beheld all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, beheld, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
15 The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and deficiency cannot 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 spoke in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know 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 my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
18 Because In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.
For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
