Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
3 What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labor that he takes under the sun?
What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
5 And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
6 arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its 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; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, there 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; 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.
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 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.
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 [Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed 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 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].
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 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.
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 saw all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, saw, all were vanity and waywardness 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 can’t be made straight: and deficiency can’t be numbered.
The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
16 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.
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 my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness 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 the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
