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

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

2 V anity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

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

3 W hat profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?

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

4 O ne generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever.

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

5 T he sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.

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

6 T he 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.

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; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go 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 full of weariness; 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 hat 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.

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 whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages 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 the former generations; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter generations that are to come, among those that shall come after.

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 was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

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

13 A nd 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.

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 and a striving after 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 T hat which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

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

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 applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.

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 grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

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