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 of 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 of all his labor, which he taketh 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: but the earth abideth for ever.
5 The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he 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 towards the south, and turneth about to the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according 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 from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
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 things [are] full of labor; man cannot utter [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, 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.
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 it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was 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]; neither shall there be [any] remembrance of [things] that are to come with [those] that shall come after.
12 I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
I the preacher was king over Israel in 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 heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all [things] that are done under heaven: this grievous labor hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised with it.
14 I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
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 own heart, saying, Lo, I have come to great estate, and have gained more wisdom than all [they] that have been before me in Jerusalem: and my heart had great experience of 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 heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
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 grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
