Ecclesiastes 1 - Julia E. Smith Translation 1876

¹ The words of the preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem.

² Vanity of vanities, said the preacher; vanity of vanities, all vanity.

³ What the profit to a man in all the labor he will labor under the sun?

⁴ A generation went away, and a generation came: and the earth stood forever.

⁵ The sun arose and the sun went down, and panted after its place which it arose there.

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.

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.

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.

⁹ What was, that shall be; and what was done, that shall be done: and not anything 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.

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.

¹² I the preacher 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

¹⁴ I saw all the works they did under the sun; and behold, all vanity and striving of the spirit

¹⁵ The crooked thing shall not be able to be made straight: and the deficiency shall not be able to be numberd

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.

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

¹⁸ For in abundance of wisdom, abundance of trouble: and he adding knowledge will increase pain.