Ecclesiastes 1
1 THE WORDS OF the Koheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.
3 What profit hath man of all his labour wherein he laboureth under the sun?
What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; and the earth abideth for ever.
One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth.
The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.
6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its circuit, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.
The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.
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 All things toil to weariness; man cannot utter it, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.
9 That which hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
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 Is there a thing whereof it is said: 'See, this is new'? — it hath been already, in the ages which were before us.
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 There is no remembrance of them of former times; neither shall there be any remembrance of them of latter times that are to come, among those that shall come after.
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 Koheleth have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:
13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven; it is a sore task that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
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 have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.
16 I spoke with my own heart, saying: 'Lo, I have gotten great wisdom, more also than all that were before me over Jerusalem'; yea, my heart hath had great experience 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 And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly — I perceived that this also was a striving after 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 in much wisdom is much vexation; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.
