1Hb. Qoheleth [The Hebrew name for this book.]
1: 2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
1: 3 What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?
1: 4 One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever.
1: 5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.
1: 6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.
1: 7 All the 2rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.
2Or, torrents
1: 8 3All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
3Or, All words are feeble;
1: 9 That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
1: 10 Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
1: 11 There is no remembrance of the former generations; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter generations that are to come, among those that shall come after.
1: 12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
1: 13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
1: 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and 4a striving after wind.
4Or, a feeding on wind (see Hos 12:1) or, vexation of spirit And so elsewhere.
1: 15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and 5that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
5Hb. defect
1: 16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom 6above all that were before me 7in Jerusalem; yes, my heart 8hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
6Or, yes, more than all that were before me
7Hb. over
8Hb. hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.
1: 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.
1: 18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
