1 T he words of the Preacher, the son of David and king in Jerusalem.

These are the words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 V apor of vapors and futility of futilities, says the Preacher. Vapor of vapors and futility of futilities! All is vanity (emptiness, falsity, and vainglory).

“It is of no use,” says the Preacher. “It is of no use! All is for nothing.”

3 W hat profit does man have left from all his toil at which he toils under the sun?

What does a man get for all his work which he does under the sun?

4 O ne generation goes and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.

People die and people are born, but the earth stays forever.

5 T he sun also rises and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.

The sun rises and the sun sets, and travels in a hurry to the place where it rises.

6 T he wind goes to the south and circles about to the north; it circles and circles about continually, and on its circuit the wind returns again.

The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north. It goes around and around, and returns again on its way.

7 A ll the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place from which the rivers come, to there and from there they return again.

All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is not full. And they return again to the place from which the rivers flow.

8 A ll things are weary with toil and all words are feeble; man cannot utter it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

All things are tiring. Man is not able to tell about them. The eye never has enough to see, and the ear is never filled with what it hears.

9 T he thing that has been—it is what will be again, and that which has been done is that which will be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun.

What has been is what will be. And what has been done is what will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.

10 I s there a thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has already been, in the vast ages of time which were before us.

Is there anything of which one might say, “See, this is new”? It has already been there since long before us.

11 T here is no remembrance of former happenings or men, neither will there be any remembrance of happenings of generations that are to come by those who are to come after them.

No one remembers the things that happened before. And no one will remember the things that will happen in the future among those who will come later. Looking for Wisdom Is like Trying to Catch the Wind

12 I , the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 A nd I applied myself by heart and mind to seek and search out by wisdom all human activity under heaven. It is a miserable business which God has given to the sons of man with which to busy themselves.

And I set my mind to look for wisdom to learn about all that has been done under heaven. It is a hard work which God has given to the sons of men to be troubled with.

14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity, a striving after the wind and a feeding on wind.

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun. And see, it is all for nothing. It is like trying to catch the wind.

15 W hat is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is defective and lacking cannot be counted.

What is not straight cannot be made straight. What is not there cannot be numbered.

16 I entered into counsel with my own mind, saying, Behold, I have acquired great wisdom, yes, more than all who have been over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

I said to myself, “I have received more wisdom than all who were over Jerusalem before me. My mind has seen much wisdom and much learning.”

17 A nd I gave my mind to know wisdom and to discern madness and folly; I perceived that this also is a searching after wind and a feeding on it.

And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know what is crazy and foolish. I saw that this also is like trying to catch the wind.

18 F or in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Because in much wisdom there is much trouble. And he who gets much learning gets much sorrow.