Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Koheleth, the son of David, the king in Jerusalem.
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, vanity of vanities: all is vanity.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 What profit hath a man of all his toil which he toil-eth under the sun?
What advantage [is] to man by all his labor that he labors at under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth endureth for ever.
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth is standing for all time.
5 The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and striving to reach his place he riseth again there.
Also, the sun has risen, and the sun has gone in, and to its place panting it is rising there.
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.
Going to the south, and turning around to the north, turning around, turning around, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind has returned.
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 streams are going to the sea, and the sea is not full; to a place to where the streams are going, there they are turning back to go.
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 these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear filled from 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? It [is] that which is, and what [is] that which has been done? It [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely 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.
There is a thing of which [one] says: “See this, it [is] new!” Already it has been in the ages that were 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 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 Koheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, a preacher, have been 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 have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that has been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God has given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
14 I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun: and, behold, all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and behold, the whole [is] vanity and distress of spirit!
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is defective 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 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 with my heart, saying, “I, behold, have magnified and added wisdom above everyone who has been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart has seen wisdom and knowledge abundantly.
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 I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] distress of spirit;
18 For where there is much wisdom there is much vexation: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth pain.
for in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who adds knowledge adds pain.”
