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 “ Vanity of vanities,” says 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 has a man from all his labor In 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 passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides 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 arose.

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 around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit.

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, 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 labor; Man cannot express 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 has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, 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 anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times 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, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after. The Grief of Wisdom

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 set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.

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 indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the 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 lacking cannot be numbered.

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

16 I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great 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 set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the 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 who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

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