The Word Am I

Ecclesiastes, the Preacher

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- Chapter 1 -

All is in vain

1
These are the words of the Teacher, the descendant of David and king in Jerusalem.
2
The Teacher says this. “Like a vapor of mist, like a breeze in the wind, everything vanishes, leaving many questions.
3
What profit does mankind gain from all the work that they labor at under the sun?
4
One generation goes, and another generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
5
The sun rises, and it goes down and hurries back to the place where it rises again.
6
The wind blows south and circles around to the north, always going around along its pathway and coming back again.
7
All the rivers flow into the sea, but the sea is never full. To the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8
Everything becomes wearisome, and no one can explain it. The eye is not satisfied by what it sees, nor is the ear fulfilled by what it hears.
9
Whatever has been is what will be, and whatever has been done is what will be done. There is nothing new under the sun.
10
Is there anything about which it may be said, ‘Look, this is new’? Whatever exists has already existed for a long time, during ages which came long before us.
11
No one seems to remember the things that happened in ancient times, and the things that happened much later and that will happen in the future will not likely be remembered either.”

With wisdom comes sorrow

12
I am the Teacher, and I have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13
I applied my mind to study and to search out by wisdom everything that is done under heaven. That search is a burdensome task that God has given to the children of mankind to be busy with.
14
I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun, and look, they all amount to vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
15
The twisted cannot be straightened! The missing cannot be counted!
16
I have spoken to my heart saying, “Look, I have acquired greater wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My mind has seen great wisdom and knowledge.”
17
So I applied my heart to know wisdom and also madness and folly. I came to understand that this also was an attempt to shepherd the wind.
18
For in the abundance of wisdom there is much frustration, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
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All is in vain

1
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2
“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3
What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
4
One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
6
The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
7
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
8
All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9
That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
10
Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold,(a) this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
11
There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.

With wisdom comes sorrow

12
I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13
I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God (b) has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
14
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15
That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.
16
I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”
17
I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
18
For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Footnotes

(a)1:10 “Behold”, from “הִנֵּה”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
(b)1:13 The Hebrew word rendered “God” is “אֱלֹהִ֑ים” (Elohim).
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