Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
3 What profit has a man of all his labor which he takes under the sun?
What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth stays for ever.
A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to his place where he arose.
The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns about to the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to his circuits.
it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from where the rivers come, thither they return again.
All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again.
8 All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing.
9 The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it has been already of old time, which was before us.
There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: “Behold, this is new!” For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail has God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
16 I communed with my own heart, saying, See, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yes, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
I have spoken in my heart, saying: “Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem.” And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
And I have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
