| New King James Version | English Standard Version |
| 1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. | 1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. |
| 2“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” | 2Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. |
| 3What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun? | 3What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? |
| 4One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever. | 4A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. |
| 5The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose. | 5The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. |
| 6The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit. | 6The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. |
| 7All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again. | 7All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. |
| 8All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing. | 8All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. |
| 9That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. | 9What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. |
| 10Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us. | 10Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us. |
| 11There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after. | 11There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after. |
| 12I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. | 12I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. |
| 13And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised. | 13And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. |
| 14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. | 14I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. |
| 15What is crooked cannot be made straight, And what is lacking cannot be numbered. | 15What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. |
| 16I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.” | 16I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” |
| 17And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind. | 17And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. |
| 18For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. | 18For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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