Ecclesiastes 1
1 The wordis of Ecclesiastes, sone of Dauid, the kyng of Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 The vanyte of vanytees, seide Ecclesiastes; the vanyte of vanytees, and alle thingis ben vanite.
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What hath a man more of alle his trauel, bi which he traueilith vndur the sunne?
What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
4 Generacioun passith awei, and generacioun cometh; but the erthe stondith with outen ende.
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5 The sunne risith, and goith doun, and turneth ayen to his place;
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
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 wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
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 rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they 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.
All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear 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?
That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
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 a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which 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 memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.
12 I Ecclesiastes was king of Israel in Jerusalem;
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in 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.
I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
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 the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15 Weiward men ben amendid of hard; and the noumbre of foolis is greet with outen ende.
That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.
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 said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom 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;
I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
18 for in myche wisdom is myche indignacioun, and he that encressith kunnyng, encreessith also trauel.
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
