Ecclesiastes 1
1 These are the words of the Teacher, the descendant of David and king in Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
2 The Teacher says this. “Like a vapor of mist, like a breeze in the wind, everything vanishes, leaving many questions.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit does mankind gain from all the work that they labor at under the sun?
What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun?
4 One generation goes, and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
5 The sun rises, and it goes down and hurries back to the place where it rises again.
And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
6 The wind blows south and circles around to the north, always going around along its pathway and coming back again.
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 flow into the sea, but the sea is never full. To the place where the rivers go, there 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 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.
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 Whatever has been is what will be, and whatever has been done is what will be done. There is nothing new 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 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.
[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 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.”
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 am the Teacher, and I have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 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.
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 deeds that are done under the sun, and look, they all amount to vapor and chasing the wind.
I beheld all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, beheld, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
15 The twisted cannot be straightened! The missing cannot be counted!
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and deficiency cannot be numbered.
16 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.”
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 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.
And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
18 For in the abundance of wisdom there is much frustration, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
