1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. 5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. 6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. 7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. 8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. 11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
12 ¶ I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. 16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. 17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. 18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
1 Verba Ecclesiastes filii David regis Hierusalem
2 vanitas vanitatum dixit Ecclesiastes
vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas
3 quid habet amplius homo de universo labore suo
quod laborat sub sole
4 generatio praeterit et generatio advenit
terra vero in aeternum stat
5 oritur sol et occidit et ad locum suum revertitur
ibique renascens
6 gyrat per meridiem et flectitur ad aquilonem
lustrans universa circuitu pergit spiritus
et in circulos suos regreditur
7 omnia flumina intrant mare et mare non redundat
ad locum unde exeunt flumina revertuntur ut iterum
fluant
8 cunctae res difficiles non potest eas homo explicare sermone
non saturatur oculus visu nec auris impletur auditu
9 quid est quod fuit ipsum quod futurum est
quid est quod factum est ipsum quod fiendum est
10 nihil sub sole novum
nec valet quisquam dicere ecce hoc recens est
iam enim praecessit in saeculis quae fuerunt ante nos
11 non est priorum memoria
sed nec eorum quidem quae postea futura sunt erit recordatio
apud eos qui futuri sunt in novissimo
12 ego Ecclesiastes fui rex Israhel in Hierusalem
13 et proposui in animo meo
quaerere et investigare sapienter de omnibus quae fiunt sub sole
hanc occupationem pessimam dedit Deus filiis hominum
ut occuparentur in ea
14 vidi quae fiunt cuncta sub sole
et ecce universa vanitas et adflictio spiritus
15 perversi difficile corriguntur et stultorum infinitus est numerus
16 locutus sum in corde meo dicens
ecce magnus effectus sum
et praecessi sapientia omnes qui fuerunt ante me in
Hierusalem
et mens mea contemplata est multa sapienter et didicit
17 dedique cor meum ut scirem prudentiam atque doctrinam
erroresque et stultitiam
et agnovi quod in his quoque esset labor et adflictio spiritus
18 eo quod in multa sapientia multa sit indignatio
et qui addit scientiam addat et laborem