Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3 What profit has a man of all his labour which he takes under the sun?
What advantage [is] to man by all his labor that he labors at under the sun?
4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth abides for ever.
A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth is standing for all time.
5 The sun also arises, and the sun goes down, and hastes to his place where he arose.
Also, the sun has risen, and the sun has gone in, and to its place panting it is rising there.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns about unto the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to his circuits.
Going to the south, and turning around to the north, turning around, turning around, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind has returned.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
All the streams are going to the sea, and the sea is not full; to a place to where the streams are going, there they are turning back to go.
8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear filled from hearing.
9 The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
What [is] that which has been? It [is] that which is, and what [is] that which has been done? It [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it has been already of old time, which was before us.
There is a thing of which [one] says: “See this, it [is] new!” Already it has been in the ages that were before us!
11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
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.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail has God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that has been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God has given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and behold, the whole [is] vanity and distress of spirit!
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is lacking cannot be numbered.
A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have got more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
I spoke with my heart, saying, “I, behold, have magnified and added wisdom above everyone who has been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart has seen wisdom and knowledge abundantly.
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] distress of spirit;
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.
for in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who adds knowledge adds pain.”
