Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Koheleth, the son of David, the king in Jerusalem.
These are the words of the Teacher, the descendant of David and king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth, vanity of vanities: all is vanity.
The Teacher says this. “Like a vapor of mist, like a breeze in the wind, everything vanishes, leaving many questions.
3 What profit hath a man of all his toil which he toil-eth under the sun?
What profit does mankind gain from all the work that they labor at under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth endureth for ever.
One generation goes, and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and striving to reach his place he riseth again there.
The sun rises, and it goes down and hurries back to the place where it rises again.
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.
The wind blows south and circles around to the north, always going around along its pathway and coming back again.
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 flow into the sea, but the sea is never full. To the place where the rivers go, there they go 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.
Everything becomes wearisome, and no one can explain it. The eye is not satisfied by what it sees, nor is the ear fulfilled by what it hears.
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.
Whatever has been is what will be, and whatever has been done is what will be done. There is nothing new 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.
Is there anything about which it may be said, 'Look, this is new'? Whatever exists has already existed for a long time, during ages which came long 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.
No one seems to remember the things that happened in ancient times, and the things that happened much later and that will happen in the future will not likely be remembered either.”
12 I Koheleth was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I am the Teacher, and I 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.
I applied my mind to study and to search out by wisdom everything that is done under heaven. That search is a burdensome task that God has given to the children of mankind to be busy with.
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 deeds that are done under the sun, and look, they all amount to vapor and chasing the wind.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is defective cannot be numbered.
The twisted cannot be straightened! The missing cannot be counted!
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 have spoken to my heart saying, “Look, I have acquired greater wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My mind has seen great 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.
So I applied my heart to know wisdom and also madness and folly. I came to understand that this also was an attempt to shepherd the wind.
18 For where there is much wisdom there is much vexation: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth pain.
For in the abundance of wisdom there is much frustration, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
