Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
3 What profit hath man of all his labour wherein he laboureth under the sun?
What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
4 One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; and the earth abideth for ever.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth.
The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.
Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.
8 All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.
10 Is there a thing whereof men say, See, this is new? it hath been already, in the ages which were before us.
Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.
11 There is no remembrance of the former [generations]; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter [generations] that are to come, among those that shall come after.
There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,
13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
I have spoken in my heart, saying: Behold I am become great, and have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem: and my mind hath contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.
And I have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and vexation of spirit,
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
Because In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.
