Ecclesiastes 1
1
Reflections of a Royal Philosopher
1The words of the Teacher,#1.1 Heb Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher,#1.2 Heb Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3What do people gain from all the toil
at which they toil under the sun?
4A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.
5The sun rises and the sun goes down,
and hurries to the place where it rises.
6The wind blows to the south,
and goes around to the north;
round and round goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.
7All streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they continue to flow.
8All things#1.8 Or words are wearisome;
more than one can express;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
or the ear filled with hearing.
9What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there a thing of which it is said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been,
in the ages before us.
11The people of long ago are not remembered,
nor will there be any remembrance
of people yet to come
by those who come after them.
The Futility of Seeking Wisdom
12I, the Teacher,#1.12 Heb Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher when king over Israel in Jerusalem, 13applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. 14I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.#1.14 Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1
15What is crooked cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16I said to myself, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind.#1.17 Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1
18For in much wisdom is much vexation,
and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.
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Ecclesiastes 1: NRSV
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Ecclesiastes 1
1
1Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
3What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
4A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
5Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
6Going 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.
7All 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.
8All 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.
9What [is] that which hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.
10There is a thing of which [one] saith: ‘See this, it [is] new!’ already it hath been in the ages that were before us!
11There is not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
12I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
14I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
15A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
16I — 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.
17And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
18for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.’
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