CHAPTER 1
1The words of Qohelet son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2Merest breath, said Qohelet, merest breath. All is mere breath.
3What gain is there for man in all his toil that he toils under the sun.
4A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth endures forever.
5The sun rises and the sun sets, and to its place it glides, there it rises.
6It goes to the south and swings round to the north, round and round goes the wind, and on its rounds the wind returns.
7All the rivers go to the sea, and the sea is not full.
To the place that the rivers go, there they return to go.
8All things are weary. A man cannot speak. The eye is not sated with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9That which was is that which will be, and that which was done is that which will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.
10There is a thing of which one would say, “See this, it is new.” It already has been in the eons that were before us. 11There is no remembrance of the first things nor of the last things that will be. They will have no remembrance with those who will be in the latter time.
12I, Qohelet, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13And I set my heart to inquire and seek through wisdom of all that is done under the sun—it is an evil business that God gave to the sons of man to busy themselves with.
14I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun, and, look, all is mere breath, and herding the wind. 15The crooked cannot turn straight nor can the lack be made good. 16I spoke to my heart, saying: As for me, look, I increased and added wisdom beyond all who were before me over Jerusalem, and my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge. 17And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know revelry and folly, for this, too, is herding the wind. 18For in much wisdom is much worry, and he who adds wisdom adds pain.