Ecclesiastes, the Preacher

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- Chapter 1 -

All is in vain

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

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

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

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

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

Maketh 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.

All 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.

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

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

Nothing 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.

There 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.

With wisdom comes sorrow

I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,

And 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.

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

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

I 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.

And 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,

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

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).