1 All Is Vanity The words of the 1:1 Or speaker of an assembly, leader of an assembly; or possibly the one who gathers an assembly; Heb Qoheleth Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 “ 1:2 Or Futility of futilities Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,“ 1:2 Or Futility of futilities Vanity of vanities! All is 1:2 Or futile vanity.”
3 ¶What advantage does man have in all his laborIn which he labors under the sun?
4 A generation goes and a generation comes,But the earth stands forever.
5 Also, the sun rises and the sun sets;And 1:5 Lit panting hastening to its place it rises thereagain.
6 Going toward the south,Then 1:6Lit turning circling toward the north,The wind goes 1:6Lit turning circling along;And on its circular courses the wind returns.
7 All the rivers go into the sea,Yet the sea is not full.To the place where the rivers go,There they 1:7Lit turn to go continually go.
8 All things are wearisome;Man is not able to speakof it.The eye is not satisfied with seeing,Nor is the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which has been is that which will be,And that which has been done is that which will be done.So there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one might say,“See this, it is new”?Already it has been for agesWhich were before us.
11 There is no remembrance of 1:11 Lit first, former earlier things;And also of the 1:11 Lit latter, after later things which will be,There will be for them no remembranceAmong those who will come 1:11 Lit latter, after laterstill.The Vanity of Wisdom
12 I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And I gave my heart to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven.Itis 1:13Lit an evil a grievous endeavorwhichGod has given to the sons of men with which to occupythemselves.
14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is 1:14 Or futility vanity and striving after wind.
15 What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I spoke within my heart, saying, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my heart has seen an abundance of wisdom and knowledge.”
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and simpleminded folly; I came to know that this also is striving after wind.
18 Because in much wisdom there is much vexation, andwhoeverincreases knowledge increases pain.