Ecclesiastes 1

1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

1The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.

1Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

2All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.

2Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes: vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.

2Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole <FI>is<Fi> vanity.

3What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?

3What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?

3What advantage <FI>is<Fi> to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?

4One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.

4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.

4A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.

5The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.

5The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,

5Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.

6The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.

6Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.

6Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.

7All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.

7All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.

7All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.

8All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.

8All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.

8All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.

9That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.

9What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.

9What <FI>is<Fi> that which hath been? it <FI>is<Fi> that which is, and what <FI>is<Fi> that which hath been done? it <FI>is<Fi> that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.

10Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.

10Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.

10There is a thing of which <FI>one<Fi> saith: `See this, it <FI>is<Fi> new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!

11There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.

11There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.

11There is not a remembrance of former <FI>generations<Fi> ; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.

12I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

12I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,

12I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.

13And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.

13And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It <FI>is<Fi> a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.

14I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.

14I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.

14I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole <FI>is<Fi> vanity and vexation of spirit!

15That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.

15The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.

15A crooked thing <FI>one<Fi> is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.

16I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem--yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.

16I have spoken in my heart, saying: Behold I am become great, and have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem: and my mind hath contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.

16I--I spake with my heart, saying, `I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.

17And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.

17And I have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and vexation of spirit,

17And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this <FI>is<Fi> vexation of spirit;

18Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.

18Because in much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.

18for, in abundance of wisdom <FI>is<Fi> abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'