Eclesiastés 1
Bible in Basic English
1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.
3What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?
4One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.
5The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.
6The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.
7All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
8All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.
9That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.
10Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.
11There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.
12I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.
14I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
15That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.
16I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem — yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.
17And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
18Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.
Reina-Valera 1909
1PALABRAS del Predicador, hijo de David, rey en Jerusalem.
2Vanidad de vanidades, dijo el Predicador; vanidad de vanidades, todo vanidad.
3¿Qué provecho tiene el hombre de todo su trabajo con que se afana debajo del sol?
4Generación va, y generación viene: mas la tierra siempre permanece.
5Y sale el sol, y pónese el sol, y con deseo vuelve á su lugar donde torna á nacer.
6El viento tira hacia el mediodía, y rodea al norte; va girando de continuo, y á sus giros torna el viento de nuevo.
7Los ríos todos van á la mar, y la mar no se hinche; al lugar de donde los ríos vinieron, allí tornan para correr de nuevo.
8Todas las cosas andan en trabajo más que el hombre pueda decir: ni los ojos viendo se hartan de ver, ni los oídos se hinchen de oir.
9¿Qué es lo que fué? Lo mismo que será. ¿Qué es lo que ha sido hecho? Lo mismo que se hará: y nada hay nuevo debajo del sol.
10¿Hay algo de que se pueda decir: He aquí esto es nuevo? Ya fué en los siglos que nos han precedido.
11No hay memoria de lo que precedió, ni tampoco de lo que sucederá habrá memoria en los que serán después.
12Yo el Predicador fuí rey sobre Israel en Jerusalem.
13Y dí mi corazón á inquirir y buscar con sabiduría sobre todo lo que se hace debajo del cielo: este penoso trabajo dió Dios á los hijos de los hombres, en que se ocupen.
14Yo miré todas las obras que se hacen debajo del sol; y he aquí, todo ello es vanidad y aflicción de espíritu.
15Lo torcido no se puede enderezar; y lo falto no puede contarse.
16Hablé yo con mi corazón, diciendo: He aquí hállome yo engrandecido, y he crecido en sabiduría sobre todos los que fueron antes de mí en Jerusalem; y mi corazón ha percibido muchedumbre de sabiduría y ciencia.
17Y dí mi corazón á conocer la sabiduría, y también á entender las locuras y los desvaríos: conocí que aun esto era aflicción de espíritu.
18Porque en la mucha sabiduría hay mucha molestia; y quien añade ciencia, añade dolor.
King James Version
1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
5The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
6The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
7All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9The 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.
10Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
11There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
12I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13And 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.
14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
15That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16I 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.
17And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
18For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
World English Bible
1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
3What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
4One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.
6The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
7All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
8All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.
10Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
11There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.
12I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.
16I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”
17I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.
18For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.