Ecclesiastes 1
1 Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3 What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
4 A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5 Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
6 Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.
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 All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.
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 All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.
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 which hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.
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 There is a thing of which [one] saith: 'See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!
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 There is not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
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, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
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 have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation 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 A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I — I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.
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 I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation 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 abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
