Ecclesiastes 1
1 The wordis of Ecclesiastes, sone of Dauid, the kyng of Jerusalem.
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
2 The vanyte of vanytees, seide Ecclesiastes; the vanyte of vanytees, and alle thingis ben vanite.
Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
3 What hath a man more of alle his trauel, bi which he traueilith vndur the sunne?
What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
4 Generacioun passith awei, and generacioun cometh; but the erthe stondith with outen ende.
A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
5 The sunne risith, and goith doun, and turneth ayen to his place;
The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
6 and there it risith ayen, and cumpassith bi the south, and turneth ayen to the north. The spirit cumpassynge alle thingis goith `in cumpas, and turneth ayen in to hise cerclis.
it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle.
7 Alle floodis entren in to the see, and the see fletith not ouer the markis set of God; the floodis turnen ayen to the place fro whennus tho comen forth, that tho flowe eft.
All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again.
8 Alle thingis ben hard; a man may not declare tho thingis bi word; the iye is not fillid bi siyt, nether the eere is fillid bi hering.
Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing.
9 What is that thing that was, that that schal come? What is that thing that is maad, that that schal be maad?
What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done.
10 No thing vndir the sunne is newe, nether ony man may seie, Lo! this thing is newe; for now it yede bifore in worldis, that weren bifore vs.
There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: “Behold, this is new!” For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us.
11 Mynde of the formere thingis is not, but sotheli nether thenkyng of tho thingis, that schulen come afterward, schal be at hem that schulen come in the last tyme.
There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end.
12 I Ecclesiastes was king of Israel in Jerusalem;
I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
13 and Y purposide in my soule to seke and enserche wiseli of alle thingis, that ben maad vndur the sunne. God yaf this werste ocupacioun to the sones of men, that thei schulden be ocupied therynne.
And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it.
14 I siy alle thingis that ben maad vndur the sunne, and lo! alle thingis ben vanyte and turment of spirit.
I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
15 Weiward men ben amendid of hard; and the noumbre of foolis is greet with outen ende.
The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
16 I spak in myn herte, and Y seide, Lo! Y am made greet, and Y passide in wisdom alle men, that weren bifore me in Jerusalem; and my soule siy many thingis wiseli, and Y lernede.
I have spoken in my heart, saying: “Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem.” And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
17 And Y yaf myn herte, that Y schulde knowe prudence and doctryn, and errours and foli. And Y knew that in these thingis also was trauel and turment of spirit;
And I have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit.
18 for in myche wisdom is myche indignacioun, and he that encressith kunnyng, encreessith also trauel.
Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
