Kohelet 1

1The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.

2Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.

3What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?

4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.

5The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,

6Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.

7All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.

8All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.

9What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.

10Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.

11There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.

12I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,

13And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.

14I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.

15The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.

16I have spoken in my heart, saying: Behold I am become great, and have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem: and my mind hath contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.

17And I have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and vexation of spirit,

18Because In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.

1Verba Ecclesiastæ, filii David, regis Jerusalem.

2[Vanitas vanitatum, dixit Ecclesiastes; vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas.

3Quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo quo laborat sub sole?]

4[Generatio præterit, et generatio advenit; terra autem in æternum stat.

5Oritur sol et occidit, et ad locum suum revertitur; ibique renascens,

6gyrat per meridiem, et flectitur ad aquilonem. Lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus, et in circulos suos revertitur.

7Omnia flumina intrant in mare, et mare non redundat; ad locum unde exeunt flumina revertuntur ut iterum fluant.

8Cunctæ res difficiles; non potest eas homo explicare sermone. Non saturatur oculus visu, nec auris auditu impletur.

9Quid est quod fuit? Ipsum quod futurum est. Quid est quod factum est? Ipsum quod faciendum est.

10Nihil sub sole novum, nec valet quisquam dicere: Ecce hoc recens est: jam enim præcessit in sæculis quæ fuerunt ante nos.

11Non est priorum memoria; sed nec eorum quidem quæ postea futura sunt erit recordatio apud eos qui futuri sunt in novissimo.]

12[Ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israël in Jerusalem;

13et proposui in animo meo quærere et investigare sapienter de omnibus quæ fiunt sub sole. Hanc occupationem pessimam dedit Deus filiis hominum, ut occuparentur in ea.

14Vidi cuncta quæ fiunt sub sole, et ecce universa vanitas et afflictio spiritus.

15Perversi difficile corriguntur, et stultorum infinitus est numerus.

16Locutus sum in corde meo, dicens: Ecce magnus effectus sum, et præcessi omnes sapientia qui fuerunt ante me in Jerusalem; et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter, et didici.

17Dedique cor meum ut scirem prudentiam atque doctrinam, erroresque et stultitiam; et agnovi quod in his quoque esset labor et afflictio spiritus:

18eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio; et qui addit scientiam, addit et laborem.]

1The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.

2Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!

3What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?

4A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.

5The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,

6it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle.

7All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again.

8Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing.

9What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done.

10There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: “Behold, this is new!” For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us.

11There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end.

12I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.

13And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it.

14I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.

15The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.

16I have spoken in my heart, saying: “Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem.” And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.

17And I have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit.

18Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.