NRSV Ecc 1 Chapter
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
1:1
The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
1:2
Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
1:3
What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun?
1:4
A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
1:5
The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hurries to the place where it rises.
1:6
The wind blows to the south, and goes around to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.
1:7
All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they continue to flow.
1:8
All things are wearisome; more than one can express; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, or the ear filled with hearing.
1:9
What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.
1:10
Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has already been, in the ages before us.
1:11
The people of long ago are not remembered, nor will there be any remembrance of people yet to come by those who come after them.
1:12
I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem,
1:13
applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with.
1:14
I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
1:15
What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
1:16
I said to myself, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."
1:17
And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind.
1:18
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.