Ecclesiastes 1
1 The wordis of Ecclesiastes, sone of Dauid, the kyng of Jerusalem.
The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.
2 The vanyte of vanytees, seide Ecclesiastes; the vanyte of vanytees, and alle thingis ben vanite.
Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.
3 What hath a man more of alle his trauel, bi which he traueilith vndur the sunne?
What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?
4 Generacioun passith awei, and generacioun cometh; but the erthe stondith with outen ende.
One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.
5 The sunne risith, and goith doun, and turneth ayen to his place;
The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.
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.
The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.
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 the riuers goe into the sea, yet the sea is not full: for the riuers goe vnto ye place, whence they returne, and goe.
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.
All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with 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 hath bene? that that shalbe: and what is it that hath bene done? that which shalbe done: and there is no newe thing vnder the sunne.
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.
Is there any thing, whereof one may say, Beholde this, it is newe? it hath bene already in the olde time that was before vs.
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 memorie of the former, neither shall there be a remembrance of the latter that shalbe, with them that shall come after.
12 I Ecclesiastes was king of Israel in Jerusalem;
I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:
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 haue giuen mine heart to search and finde out wisdome by all things that are done vnder the heauen: (this sore trauaile hath GOD giuen to the sonnes of men, to humble them thereby)
14 I siy alle thingis that ben maad vndur the sunne, and lo! alle thingis ben vanyte and turment of spirit.
I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.
15 Weiward men ben amendid of hard; and the noumbre of foolis is greet with outen ende.
That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.
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 thought in mine heart, and said, Behold, I am become great, and excell in wisdome all them that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine heart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge.
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 gaue mine heart to knowe wisdome and knowledge, madnes and foolishnes: I knew also that this is a vexation of the spirit.
18 for in myche wisdom is myche indignacioun, and he that encressith kunnyng, encreessith also trauel.
For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.
