Ecclesiastes 1
1 The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.
The words of the Proclaimer, son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.
Vanity of vanities! saith the Proclaimer, vanity of vanities! all, is vanity.
3 What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?
What profit hath Man, in all his toil wherewith he toileth under the sun?
4 One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.
Generation, goeth and, generation, cometh, but, the earth, unto times age-abiding, remaineth.
5 The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.
And the sun, breaketh forth, and the sun, goeth in, —yea, unto his own place, he panteth, from whence he brake forth.
6 The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.
Going unto the south, and circling unto the north, —circling, circling continually, is, the wind, and, over its own circuits, returneth the wind.
7 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.
All the streams, flow into the sea, yet, the sea, is not full, —unto the place whither the streams flow, thither, do they again flow.
8 All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.
All words, are weak, unable is any man to tell, —not satisfied is the eye by seeing, nor filled is the ear with hearing.
9 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.
That which hath been, is the same that shall be, and, that which hath been done, is the same that shall be done, —and there is, nothing new, under the sun.
10 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.
Is there a thing, of which it can be said, See here, it is, new? Already, hath it been, for ages, [it is something] which was before us.
11 There is no memorie of the former, neither shall there be a remembrance of the latter that shalbe, with them that shall come after.
There is, no remembrance, of the thing before, —nor, even of the things after, which shall be, will there be any remembrance, with them who shall come after.
12 I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:
I, the Proclaimer, was king over Israel, in Jerusalem.
13 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)
And I gave my heart to seek and to search out, wisely, concerning all things which are done under the heavens, —the same, is the vexatious employment God hath given to the sons of men, to work toilsomely therein,
14 I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.
I saw all the works which were done under the sun, —and lo! all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
15 That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.
That which is crooked, cannot be straight, —and, that which is wanting, cannot be reckoned.
16 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.
Spake, I, in my heart, saying, As for me, lo! I have become great, and have gathered wisdom, beyond any one who hath been before me over Jerusalem, —and, my heart, hath seen much wisdom and knowledge:
17 And I gaue mine heart to knowe wisdome and knowledge, madnes and foolishnes: I knew also that this is a vexation of the spirit.
yea I have given my heart, to know wisdom, and to know madness, and folly, —I know that, even this, is a feeding on wind.
18 For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.
For, in much wisdom, is much vexation, —and, he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth pain.
