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

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher,
vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
What profit hath a man of all his labour
which he taketh under the sun?
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh:
but the earth abideth for ever.
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down,
and hasteth to his place where he arose.
The wind goeth toward the south,
and turneth about unto the north;
it whirleth about continually,
and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full;
unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it:
the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be;
and that which is done is that which shall be done:
and there is no new thing under the sun.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new?
it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things;
neither shall there be any remembrance of things
that are to come with those that shall come after.

12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. 16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. 17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. 18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

The Vanity of Life

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

“Vanity(B)[a] of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“Vanity of vanities, (C)all is vanity.”

(D)What profit has a man from all his labor
In which he [b]toils under the sun?
One generation passes away, and another generation comes;
(E)But the earth abides forever.
(F)The sun also rises, and the sun goes down,
And [c]hastens to the place where it arose.
(G)The wind goes toward the south,
And turns around to the north;
The wind whirls about continually,
And comes again on its circuit.
(H)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.
All things are [d]full of labor;
Man cannot express it.
(I)The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor the ear filled with hearing.

(J)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 Is there anything of which it may be said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been in ancient times before us.
11 There is (K)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, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I set my heart to seek and (L)search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; (M)this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be [e]exercised. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

15 (N)What is crooked cannot be made straight,
And what is lacking cannot be numbered.

16 I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained (O)more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has [f]understood great wisdom and knowledge.” 17 (P)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 For (Q)in much wisdom is much grief,
And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 1:2 Or Absurdity, Frustration, Futility, Nonsense; and so throughout the book
  2. Ecclesiastes 1:3 labors
  3. Ecclesiastes 1:5 Is eager for, lit. panting
  4. Ecclesiastes 1:8 wearisome
  5. Ecclesiastes 1:13 Or afflicted
  6. Ecclesiastes 1:16 Lit. seen

Todo es vanidad

Palabras del Predicador, hijo de David, rey en Jerusalén.

Vanidad de vanidades, dijo el Predicador; vanidad de vanidades, todo es vanidad. ¿Qué provecho tiene el hombre de todo su trabajo con que se afana debajo del sol? Generación va, y generación viene; mas la tierra siempre permanece. Sale el sol, y se pone el sol, y se apresura a volver al lugar de donde se levanta. El viento tira hacia el sur, y rodea al norte; va girando de continuo, y a sus giros vuelve el viento de nuevo. Los ríos todos van al mar, y el mar no se llena; al lugar de donde los ríos vinieron, allí vuelven para correr de nuevo. Todas las cosas son fatigosas más de lo que el hombre puede expresar; nunca se sacia el ojo de ver, ni el oído de oír. ¿Qué es lo que fue? Lo mismo que será. ¿Qué es lo que ha sido hecho? Lo mismo que se hará; y nada hay nuevo debajo del sol. 10 ¿Hay algo de que se puede decir: He aquí esto es nuevo? Ya fue en los siglos que nos han precedido. 11 No hay memoria de lo que precedió, ni tampoco de lo que sucederá habrá memoria en los que serán después.

La experiencia del Predicador

12 Yo el Predicador fui rey sobre Israel en Jerusalén. 13 Y di mi corazón a inquirir y a buscar con sabiduría sobre todo lo que se hace debajo del cielo; este penoso trabajo dio Dios a los hijos de los hombres, para que se ocupen en él. 14 Miré todas las obras que se hacen debajo del sol; y he aquí, todo ello es vanidad y aflicción de espíritu. 15 Lo torcido no se puede enderezar, y lo incompleto no puede contarse.

16 Hablé yo en mi corazón, diciendo: He aquí yo me he engrandecido, y he crecido en sabiduría(A) sobre todos los que fueron antes de mí en Jerusalén; y mi corazón ha percibido mucha sabiduría y ciencia. 17 Y dediqué mi corazón a conocer la sabiduría, y también a entender las locuras y los desvaríos; conocí que aun esto era aflicción de espíritu. 18 Porque en la mucha sabiduría hay mucha molestia; y quien añade ciencia, añade dolor.

Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.

What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?

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

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

Going 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.

All 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 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.

What [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.

10 There is a thing of which [one] saith: `See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!

11 There 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.

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

13 And 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.

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

15 A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to 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.

17 And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;

18 for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'