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, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity.
3 What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever.
4 [One] generation passeth away, and [another] generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
5 The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
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.
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.
7 All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.
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.
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.
8 All things [are] full of labour; man cannot utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
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.
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.
10 Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already, in the ages before us.
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.
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.
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.
12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
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.
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.
14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be numbered.
15 [That which is] crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
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."
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.
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.
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
18 For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.