Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
The words of the Proclaimer, son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."
Vanity of vanities! saith the Proclaimer, vanity of vanities! all, is vanity.
3 What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
What profit hath Man, in all his toil wherewith he toileth under the sun?
4 One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
Generation, goeth and, generation, cometh, but, the earth, unto times age-abiding, remaineth.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
And the sun, breaketh forth, and the sun, goeth in, —yea, unto his own place, he panteth, from whence he brake forth.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
Going unto the south, and circling unto the north, —circling, circling continually, is, the wind, and, over its own circuits, returneth the wind.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
All the streams, flow into the sea, yet, the sea, is not full, —unto the place whither the streams flow, thither, do they again flow.
8 All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
All words, are weak, unable is any man to tell, —not satisfied is the eye by seeing, nor filled is the ear with hearing.
9 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.
That which hath been, is the same that shall be, and, that which hath been done, is the same that shall be done, —and there is, nothing new, under the sun.
10 Is there a thing of which it may be said, "Look, this is new?" It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
Is there a thing, of which it can be said, See here, it is, new? Already, hath it been, for ages, [it is something] which was before us.
11 There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.
There is, no remembrance, of the thing before, —nor, even of the things after, which shall be, will there be any remembrance, with them who shall come after.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Proclaimer, was king over Israel, in Jerusalem.
13 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.
And I gave my heart to seek and to search out, wisely, concerning all things which are done under the heavens, —the same, is the vexatious employment God hath given to the sons of men, to work toilsomely therein,
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and look, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
I saw all the works which were done under the sun, —and lo! all, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
15 That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be counted.
That which is crooked, cannot be straight, —and, that which is wanting, cannot be reckoned.
16 I said to myself, "Look, 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."
Spake, I, in my heart, saying, As for me, lo! I have become great, and have gathered wisdom, beyond any one who hath been before me over Jerusalem, —and, my heart, hath seen much wisdom and knowledge:
17 I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
yea I have given my heart, to know wisdom, and to know madness, and folly, —I know that, even this, is a feeding on wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
For, in much wisdom, is much vexation, —and, he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth pain.
