Gottes Neue Bibel

Ecclesiastes, the Preacher

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- Kapitel 1 -

All is in vain

1
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.(a)
2
Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!(b)
3
What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?(c)
4
A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.(d)
5
The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
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.(e)
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.
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.(f)
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.
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.
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.(g)

With wisdom comes sorrow

12
I, Ecclesiastes, was king of 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.
14
I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
15
The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
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.
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.
18
Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.(h)

Fußnoten

(a)1:1 This book is attributed to king Solomon, being based on his words of wisdom from God. Solomon is called Ecclesiastes because he calls the people to an assembly (ecclesia), so as to teach them wisdom.(Conte)
(b)1:2 Solomon is pointing out the emptiness of worldly things by themselves. The word ‘vanitas’ can also refer to emptiness.(Conte)
(c)1:3 The repeated use of the phrase ‘under the sun’ indicates that this book is about this life, not about the next life in Heaven.(Conte)
(d)1:4 Though Scripture says that heaven and earth shall pass away, Scripture also says that God will create a new heaven and a new earth. Then the new heaven, as well as the new earth, stand forever.(Conte)
(e)1:6 The meridian is midday (i.e. the highest point that the sun reaches in the sky) or more generally the middle of the sky (i.e. neither horizon). The term meridian may also be translated as ‘south,’ referring to the fact that the sun is more to the south when viewed from locations in the northern hemisphere, such as Jerusalem. The sun then arcs more toward the north (but not actually north of due west); this is particularly evident in winter and at higher latitudes, where the sun is fairly low in the southern sky about midday, and then arcs more toward the north as it sets.(Conte)
(f)1:8 The word ‘cunctae’ is not as all inclusive as ‘universae,’ hence the translation ‘such things.’(Conte)
(g)1:11 This verse prophetically indicates that, during the last days, the world will have a disdain for, and a rejection of, true historical information.(Conte)
(h)1:18 The wiser one becomes, the more one realizes how much foolishness is in the world, resulting in a righteous anger or indignation; this is a burden to those who attain wisdom.(Conte)

Alles ist vergeblich

1
Worte des Predigers, des Sohnes Davids, des Königs von Jerusalem.
2
O Eitelkeit über Eitelkeit! spricht der Prediger, o Eitelkeit über Eitelkeit, alles ist Eitelkeit!
3
Was hat der Mensch mehr von all seiner Arbeit, mit der er sich unter der Sonne abmüht?
4
Ein Geschlecht geht dahin und ein anderes kommt, die Erde aber steht allezeit fest.
5
Die Sonne geht auf und geht unter und kehrt an ihren Ort zurück, von wo sie wiederum aufgeht,
6
nach dem Süden geht und nach Norden sich wendet. Alles ringsum umkreisend bewegt sich der Wind fort und kehrt wieder zu seinem Kreislaufe zurück.
7
Alle Ströme fließen in das Meer und das Meer läuft nicht über; an den Ort, woher die Flüsse kommen, kehren sie zurück, um wieder zu fließen.
8
Alle Dinge mühen sich ab; der Mensch vermag es nicht, es auszusprechen, das Auge kann sich nicht satt sehen und das Ohr nicht genug hören.
9
Was ist das, was gewesen ist? Eben das, was wieder sein wird! Was ist das, was geschehen ist? Eben das, was wieder geschehen wird!
10
Es gibt nichts Neues unter der Sonne und niemand kann sagen: Siehe, das ist neu! Denn es ist schon da gewesen in den Zeiten, die vor uns waren.
11
Man erinnert sich nicht mehr an das Frühere; aber auch das Künftige, was erst geschehen wird, wird bei den künftigen Geschlechtern keine Erinnerung mehr finden.

Mit der Weisheit kommt der Kummer

12
Ich, der Prediger, war König über Israel in Jerusalem
13
und nahm mir in meinem Herzen vor, nach allem weislich zu forschen und alles zu ergründen, was unter der Sonne geschieht. Diese leidige Beschäftigung hat Gott den Menschenkindern zugeteilt, dass sie sich damit abmühen.
14
Ich sah alles, was unter der Sonne geschieht, und siehe, alles ist Eitelkeit und Geistesplage!
15
Schwer werden Verkehrte gebessert und der Toren sind unzählbar viele.
16
Ich sprach in meinem Herzen und sagte: Siehe, ich bin groß geworden und habe alle, die vor mir in Jerusalem gewesen, an Weisheit übertroffen und mein Geist hat vieles weislich erwogen und erlernt.
17
Da richtete ich mein Herz darauf, Klugheit und Lehre, Irrtum und Torheit zu erforschen, und ich ward inne, dass auch darin Mühe und Geistesplage ist;
18
denn bei vieler Weisheit ist viel Missmut und wer die Kenntnis mehrt, mehrt auch das Leid.
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