Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Koheleth, the son of David, the king in Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, vanity of vanities: all is vanity.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit hath a man of all his toil which he toil-eth under the sun?
What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth endureth for ever.
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
5 The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and striving to reach his place he riseth again there.
And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
6 Going toward the south, and turning round toward the north, the wind moveth round about continually; and around its circles doth the wind return again.
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 never full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither will they continue to go.
All the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8 All things weary themselves [constantly]; man can not utter them: the eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
All things are full of labour; 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 That which hath been, is the same which will be; and that which hath been done, is the same which will be done; and there is nothing new 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 If there be any thing whereof it is said, See, this is new: It hath already been in olden times which were 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 [Only] there is no recollection of former [generations]; and also of the later ones, that are to be—of these [likewise] there will be no recollection with those that will be still later.
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 Koheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And I directed my heart to inquire and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this is an evil employment which God hath given to the sons of man to busy themselves 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 saw all the deeds that are done under the sun: and, behold, all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
I beheld all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, beheld, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is defective cannot be numbered.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and deficiency cannot be numbered.
16 I spoke with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have truly obtained greater and more wisdom than all those who have been before me over Jerusalem: yea, my heart had seen much 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 directed my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly; [but] I have perceived that this also is a torture of the spirit.
And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
18 For where there is much wisdom there is much vexation: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth pain.
For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
