Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
3 What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
What profit hath a man by all his labor with which he wearieth himself under the sun?
4 A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; while the earth abideth for ever.
5 The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
The sun riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it arose.
6 it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north; round and round goeth the wind, and returneth to its circuits.
7 All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return.
8 Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing.
All words become weary; man cannot express it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done.
The thing that hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: “Behold, this is new!” For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us.
Is there any thing of which one may say, “Behold, this is new”? It was long ago, in the times which were before us.
11 There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end.
There is no remembrance of former things, and of things that are to come there shall be no remembrance to those who live afterwards.
12 I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at Jerusalem.
13 And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it.
And I gave my mind to seek and to search out with wisdom concerning all things which are done under heaven; an evil business, which God hath given to the sons of men, in which to employ themselves.
14 I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
I saw all the things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind.
15 The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
That which is crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 I have spoken in my heart, saying: “Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem.” And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
I communed with my heart, saying, “Behold, I have gained more and greater wisdom than all who have been before me at Jerusalem; yea, my mind hath seen much wisdom and knowledge.”
17 And I have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit.
And I gave my mind to know wisdom, and to know senselessness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving after wind.
18 Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
