Ecclesiastes 1
1 verba Ecclesiastes filii David regis Hierusalem
The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.
2 vanitas vanitatum dixit Ecclesiastes vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas
Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.
3 quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo quod laborat sub sole
What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?
4 generatio praeterit et generatio advenit terra vero in aeternum stat
One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.
5 oritur sol et occidit et ad locum suum revertitur ibique renascens
The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.
6 gyrat per meridiem et flectitur ad aquilonem lustrans universa circuitu pergit spiritus et in circulos suos regreditur
The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.
7 omnia flumina intrant mare et mare non redundat ad locum unde exeunt flumina revertuntur ut iterum fluant
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 cunctae res difficiles non potest eas homo explicare sermone non saturatur oculus visu nec auris impletur auditu
All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.
9 quid est quod fuit ipsum quod futurum est quid est quod factum est ipsum quod fiendum est
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 nihil sub sole novum nec valet quisquam dicere ecce hoc recens est iam enim praecessit in saeculis quae fuerunt ante nos
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 non est priorum memoria sed nec eorum quidem quae postea futura sunt erit recordatio apud eos qui futuri sunt in novissimo
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 ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israhel in Hierusalem
I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:
13 et proposui in animo meo quaerere et investigare sapienter de omnibus quae fiunt sub sole hanc occupationem pessimam dedit Deus filiis hominum ut occuparentur in ea
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 vidi quae fiunt cuncta sub sole et ecce universa vanitas et adflictio spiritus
I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.
15 perversi difficile corriguntur et stultorum infinitus est numerus
That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.
16 locutus sum in corde meo dicens ecce magnus effectus sum et praecessi sapientia omnes qui fuerunt ante me in Hierusalem et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter et didicit
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 dedique cor meum ut scirem prudentiam atque doctrinam erroresque et stultitiam et agnovi quod in his quoque esset labor et adflictio spiritus
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 eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio et qui addit scientiam addat et laborem
For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.
