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Ecclesiastes 1, Orthodox

1:1

1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, King of Israel in Jerusalem.

The vanity of life

1:2 "Vanity of vanities," said the Preacher,
"Vanity of vanities; all is vanity."

1:3 What advantage is there to a man in all his labour,
That he taketh under the sun?

1:4 A generation goeth, and a generation cometh:
But the earth stands for ever.

1:5 And the sun ariseth, and the sun goeth down,
And draweth toward its place;

1:6 Arising there it proceedeth southward,
And goeth round toward the north.
The wind goeth round and round,
And the wind returneth to its circuits.

1:7 All the rivers run into the sea;
And yet the sea is not filled:
To the place whence the rivers come,
Thither they return again.

1:8 All things are full of labour;
A man will not be able to speak of them:
Neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing,
Neither shall the ear be filled with hearing.

1:9 What is that which hath been?
The very thing which shall be:
And what is that which hath been done?
The very thing which shall be done:
And there is no new thing under the sun.

1:10 Who is he that shall speak and say,
"Behold, this is new?"
It hath already been in the ages that have passed before us.

1:11 There is no memorial to the first things;
Neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last time.

Futility of man's wisdom

1:12 I the Preacher was King over Israel in Jerusalem.

1:13 And I applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom, concerning all things that are done under Heaven, for God hath given to the sons of men, an evil trouble to be troubled therewith.

1:14 I beheld all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, beheld, all were vanity, and waywardness of spirit.

1:15 Which is crooked cannot be made straight:
And deficiency cannot be numbered.

1:16 I spoke in my heart, saying, "Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know wisdom and knowledge."

1:17 And my heart knew much--Wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.

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