Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit has a man of all his labor which he takes under the sun?
What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labor that he takes under the sun?
4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth stays for ever.
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to his place where he arose.
And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
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.
arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.
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 the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, there they return 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.
All things are full of labor; a man will not be able to speak [of them]: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be filled with 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 that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
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.
[Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed 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 memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last [time].
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in 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 applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled therewith.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
I saw all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, saw, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
That which is crooked can’t be made straight: and deficiency can’t be numbered.
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 spoke in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know wisdom and knowledge.
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 my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.
For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
