Ecclesiastes 1 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 1 ▼
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1 The words of the preacher, son of David, 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, said the preacher; vanity of vanities, all 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 the profit to a man in all the labor he will labor 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 A generation went away, and a generation came: and the earth stood forever. 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 arose and the sun went down, and panted after its place which it arose there. 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 Going to the south and turning round about to the north, it turned round about; the wind turned round about, going, and the wind turned back upon its circuits. 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 the torrents going into the sea, and the sea not full: to the place the torrents going, there they turn back to go. 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 words becoming weary; man shall not be able to speak: the eye shall not be satisfied to see, and the ear shall not be filled from 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 was, that shall be; and what was done, that shall be done: and not anything 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 Is there a word will be said, See, this is new? This was already to a long time which was before 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 No remembrance to former things; and also to the latter things that shall be; to them shall be no remembrance with them which shall be for the latter state. 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 the preacher 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 gave my heart to seek and to search out in wisdom concerning all which was done under the heavens: this evil business God gave to the sons of man to be occupied in it. 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 saw all the works they did under the sun; and behold, all vanity and striving of the spirit. 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 The crooked thing shall not be able to be made straight: and the deficiency shall not be able to be numbered. 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 It spake with my heart, saying, Behold, I was magnified, and added wisdom over all that were before me at Jerusalem: and my heart saw much 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 And I will give my heart to know wisdom, and the knowledge of praise and understanding: I knew this also it is the striving of the spirit. 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 abundance of wisdom, abundance of trouble: and he adding knowledge will increase pain. 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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