King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
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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.
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Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
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What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
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A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
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The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.
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.
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The wind blows to the south, and goes round to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.
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.
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All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow 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.
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All things are full of weariness; a 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.
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What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new 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.
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Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already, in the ages 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.
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There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to happen among those who come after.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
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I the Preacher have been 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.
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And I applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to the sons of men to be busy with.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
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I have seen everything that is done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
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What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking 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.
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I said to myself, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has 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.
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And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
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For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.