Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
Vanity of vanities, saith 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 profit hath man of all his labour wherewith he laboureth under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
[One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh, but the earth standeth for ever.
5 The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.
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.
The wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about towards the north: it turneth about continually, and the wind returneth again 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, yet the sea is not full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go 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 toil; none can express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear 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.
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.
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.
Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already in the ages which 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 no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be remembrance of things that are to come with those who shall live afterwards.
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 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.
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 are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
15 The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting 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 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.
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 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.
18 Because In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
