1 ¶ The 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 does a man have of all his labour which he takes under the sun?

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

4 ¶ One generation passes away, and another generation comes, but the earth abides for ever.

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

5 T he sun arises, and the sun goes down, and with desire returns to his place from which he arises again.

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

6 T he wind goes toward the south and turns about unto the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according 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 from whence the rivers come, 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 full of labour; more than man can express; 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 ¶ The thing that has 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.

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 any thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? it has been already of old time which was 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 things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with 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 gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven (this sore travail God has given to the sons of man that they be occupied in it).

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 vexation of spirit.

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 lacking cannot be numbered.

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

16 I communed with my own heart, saying, Behold, I am come to great estate and have gotten more wisdom than all those that have been before me in Jerusalem; and my heart 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 heart to know wisdom and knowledge and to know folly and those who are mad; I learned in the end that this also is vexation of spirit.

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 increases knowledge increases sorrow.

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