Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 What profit has a man of all his labour which he takes under the sun?
What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth abides for ever.
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
5 The sun also arises, and the sun goes down, and hastes to his place where he arose.
Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns about unto the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to his circuits.
Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.
8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from 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 hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely 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.
There is a thing of which [one] saith: 'See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been 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 not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, a preacher, have been 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 have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled 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 the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is lacking cannot be numbered.
A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have got more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
I — I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly 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 I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.
for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
