1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?
3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
4 One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever.
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.
5 The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.
6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.
6 The wind blows to the south, and goes round to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.
7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.
7 All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.
8 All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter (it): the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
8 All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
9 What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
10 Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already, in the ages before us.
11 There is no remembrance of the former (generations); neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter (generations) that are to come, among those that shall come after.
11 There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to happen among those who come after.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
13 And I applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered.
16 I communed with mine own hear, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
16 I said to myself, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."
17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.
17 And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.