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 does man gain from all his labor in which he labors 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 hurries to its 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 toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.

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 where the rivers flow, there they flow 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 beyond uttering. 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 that which shall be; and that which has 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 of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new?” It has 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 memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter 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 I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

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 chasing 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 can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.

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

16 I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart 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 I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing 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 who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

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