Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit hath man of all his labour wherein he laboureth under the sun?
What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun?
4 One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; and the earth abideth for ever.
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth.
And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
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.
arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its 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; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return 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 full of labour; a man will not be able to speak [of them]: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be 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 that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Is there a thing whereof men say, See, this is new? it hath been already, in the ages which were before us.
[Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed 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 memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last [time].
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I the Preacher 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 applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled therewith.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
I beheld all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, beheld, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and deficiency cannot be numbered.
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 spoke in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know wisdom and knowledge.
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 my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
