1 W ords of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 V anity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole vanity.

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

3 W hat advantage to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?

What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?

4 A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.

One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever.

5 A lso, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.

The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose.

6 G oing unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.

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

7 A ll the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.

All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again.

8 A ll these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.

All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.

9 W hat that which hath been? it that which is, and what that which hath been done? it that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.

That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.

10 T here is a thing of which saith: `See this, it new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!

Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.

11 T here is not a remembrance of former; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.

There 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

12 I , a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 A nd I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.

And 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.

14 I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole vanity and vexation of spirit!

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

15 A crooked thing is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.

What is crooked cannot be made straight, And what is lacking cannot be numbered.

16 I -- I spake with my heart, saying, `I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.

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.”

17 A nd I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this vexation of spirit;

And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.

18 f or, in abundance of wisdom abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'

For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.