Ecclesiastes 1
1 Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What advantage [is] to man by all his labor that he labors at under the sun?
What does man gain from all his labour in which he labours under the sun?
4 A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth is standing for all time.
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5 Also, the sun has risen, and the sun has gone in, and to its place panting it is rising there.
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
6 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.
The wind goes towards the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
7 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.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
8 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.
All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 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.
That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 There is a thing of which [one] says: “See this, it [is] new!” Already it has been in the ages that were before us!
Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
11 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.
There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, amongst those that shall come after.
12 I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 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.
I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
14 I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and behold, the whole [is] vanity and distress of spirit!
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15 A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.
16 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.
I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”
17 And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] distress of spirit;
I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
18 for in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who adds knowledge adds pain.”
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
