Ecclesiastes 1
1 The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.
All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.
3 What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?
What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?
4 One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.
One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.
5 The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.
The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.
6 The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.
The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.
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 rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
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 things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its 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 has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing 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 anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time 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 memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.
12 I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:
I, the Preacher, 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 searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.
14 I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.
I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
15 That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.
That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.
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.
I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem — yes, my heart has 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.
And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
18 For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.
Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.
