Ecclesiastes 1
1 Here are the words of the Teacher, the king of Jerusalem, David's son.
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
2 “Everything passes—it's so temporary! It's all so hard to understand!” says the Teacher.
Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
3 What benefit do you get for slaving away in this life?
What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
4 People come, and people go, but the earth lasts forever!
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
5 The sun comes up, and the sun goes down, and then rushes to its place to rise again.
The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
6 The wind blows south, and then turns to the north. Round and round it spins, finally coming full circle.
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.
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 rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.
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 hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear 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 been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.
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.
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.
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 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.
12 I am the Teacher, and I was king over Israel, reigning from Jerusalem.
I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,
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 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.
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 have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
15 You can't straighten what is twisted, and you can't count what isn't there.
The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
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 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.
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 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,
18 For with great wisdom comes great frustration. The greater the knowledge, the greater the pain.
Because In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.
