Ecclesiastes, the Preacher

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- Chapter 1 -

All is in vain

The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.

Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.

What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?

One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.

The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.

The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.

All the riuers goe into the sea, yet the sea is not full: for the riuers goe vnto ye place, whence they returne, and goe.

All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.

What is it that hath bene? that that shalbe: and what is it that hath bene done? that which shalbe done: and there is no newe thing vnder the sunne.

Is there any thing, whereof one may say, Beholde this, it is newe? it hath bene already in the olde time that was before vs.

There is no memorie of the former, neither shall there be a remembrance of the latter that shalbe, with them that shall come after.

With wisdom comes sorrow

I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:

And I haue giuen mine heart to search and finde out wisdome by all things that are done vnder the heauen: (this sore trauaile hath GOD giuen to the sonnes of men, to humble them thereby)

I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.

That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.

I thought in mine heart, and said, Behold, I am become great, and excell in wisdome all them that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine heart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge.

And I gaue mine heart to knowe wisdome and knowledge, madnes and foolishnes: I knew also that this is a vexation of the spirit.

For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.

All is in vain

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.

The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.

All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.

All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.

Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold,(a) this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.

There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.

With wisdom comes sorrow

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

I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God

(b)

has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.

I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”

I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.

For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Footnotes

(a)1:10 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.

(b)1:13 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).