Ecclesiastes 1
1 The wordis of Ecclesiastes, sone of Dauid, the kyng of Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
2 The vanyte of vanytees, seide Ecclesiastes; the vanyte of vanytees, and alle thingis ben vanite.
Vanity of vanities, said 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 advantage [is there] to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun?
4 Generacioun passith awei, and generacioun cometh; but the erthe stondith with outen ende.
A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
5 The sunne risith, and goith doun, and turneth ayen to his place;
And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws toward its place;
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.
arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round toward the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.
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; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return 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 labour; a man will not be able to speak [of them]: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be 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 that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing 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.
[Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed 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 memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last [time].
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.
And I applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled therewith.
14 I siy alle thingis that ben maad vndur the sunne, and lo! alle thingis ben vanyte and turment of spirit.
I beheld all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, beheld, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
15 Weiward men ben amendid of hard; and the noumbre of foolis is greet with outen ende.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and deficiency cannot be numbered.
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 spoke in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know 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;
And my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
18 for in myche wisdom is myche indignacioun, and he that encressith kunnyng, encreessith also trauel.
For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
