Ecclesiastes 1 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 1 ▼
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New American Bible Revised
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1 The words of David’s son, Qoheleth, king in Jerusalem: The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
3 What profit have we from all the toil which we toil at under the sun? What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?
4 One generation departs and another generation comes, but the world forever stays. A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises and the sun sets; then it presses on to the place where it rises. The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises.
6 Shifting south, then north, back and forth shifts the wind, constantly shifting its course. The wind blows to the south and goes around to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course.
7 All rivers flow to the sea, yet never does the sea become full. To the place where they flow, the rivers continue to flow. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again.
8 All things are wearisome, too wearisome for words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing nor has the ear enough of hearing. All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing.
9 What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun! What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Even the thing of which we say, “See, this is new!” has already existed in the ages that preceded us. Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new|? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.
11 There is no remembrance of past generations; nor will future generations be remembered by those who come after them. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after. No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.
12 I, Qoheleth, was king over Israel in Jerusalem, I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 and I applied my mind to search and investigate in wisdom all things that are done under the sun. A bad business God has given to human beings to be busied with. And 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. I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!
14 I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a chase after wind. I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind. I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and you cannot count what is not there. What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted. What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 Though I said to myself, “See, I have greatly increased my wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem, and my mind has broad experience of wisdom and knowledge,” I 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.” I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”
17 yet when I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly, I learned that this also is a chase after wind. And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.
18 For in much wisdom there is much sorrow; whoever increases knowledge increases grief. For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.
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