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 a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
4 [One] generation passeth away, 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 his place where he arose.
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 whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his 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 from whence the rivers come, thither they return 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 labour; 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 The thing that hath been, it [is that] which shall be; and that which is 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 [any] thing whereof it may be said, See, this [is] new? it hath been already of old time, which was 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 former [things]; neither shall there be [any] remembrance of [things] that are to come with [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 gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all [things] that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man 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 vexation of spirit.
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 heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all [they] that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart 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 gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
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.