Ecclesiastes 1
1 Here are the words of the Teacher, the king of Jerusalem, David's son.
The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.
2 “Everything passes—it's so temporary! It's all so hard to understand!” says the Teacher.
Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.
3 What benefit do you get for slaving away in this life?
What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?
4 People come, and people go, but the earth lasts forever!
One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.
5 The sun comes up, and the sun goes down, and then rushes to its place to rise again.
The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.
6 The wind blows south, and then turns to the north. Round and round it spins, finally coming full circle.
The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.
7 Streams all flow into the sea, but the sea never becomes full. The streams return to the place from where they came.
All the riuers goe into the sea, yet the sea is not full: for the riuers goe vnto ye place, whence they returne, and goe.
8 Everything just keeps on going. You can't say all there is to say. You can't see all there is to see. You can't hear all there is to hear.
All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.
9 Everything that was will continue to be; everything that has been done will be done again. Nothing new ever happens here.
What is it that hath bene? that that shalbe: and what is it that hath bene done? that which shalbe done: and there is no newe thing vnder the sunne.
10 There's nothing anyone can point to and say, “Look! Here's something new.” In fact it's been around for ages, long before our time.
Is there any thing, whereof one may say, Beholde this, it is newe? it hath bene already in the olde time that was before vs.
11 The problem is we don't remember people from the past, and people in the future won't remember those who came before them.
There is no memorie of the former, neither shall there be a remembrance of the latter that shalbe, with them that shall come after.
12 I am the Teacher, and I was king over Israel, reigning from Jerusalem.
I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:
13 I decided to focus my mind to explore, using wisdom, everything that happens here on earth. This is a tough assignment that God has given people to keep them busy!
And I haue giuen mine heart to search and finde out wisdome by all things that are done vnder the heauen: (this sore trauaile hath GOD giuen to the sonnes of men, to humble them thereby)
14 I examined everything people do here on earth, and discovered that it's all so temporary—trying to understand it is like trying to pin down the wind!
I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.
15 You can't straighten what is twisted, and you can't count what isn't there.
That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.
16 I thought to myself, “I've become very wise, wiser than all the kings of Jerusalem before me. My mind has gained a great deal of wisdom and knowledge.”
I thought in mine heart, and said, Behold, I am become great, and excell in wisdome all them that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine heart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge.
17 So I decided to use my mind to learn everything about wisdom, and madness and foolishness as well. But I found out that this is as hard as trying to catch hold of the wind.
And I gaue mine heart to knowe wisdome and knowledge, madnes and foolishnes: I knew also that this is a vexation of the spirit.
18 For with great wisdom comes great frustration. The greater the knowledge, the greater the pain.
For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.
