Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
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The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes: vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
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Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
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What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
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A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
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The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hurries to the place where it rises.
6 Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.
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The wind blows to the south, and goes around 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 doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow 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 continue to flow.
8 All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.
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All things are wearisome; more than one can express; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, or the ear filled with hearing.
9 What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.
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What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.
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Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has already been, in the ages before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.
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The people of long ago are not remembered, nor will there be any remembrance of people yet to come by those who come after them.
12 I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,
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I, the Teacher, when king over Israel in Jerusalem,
13 And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.
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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 human beings to be busy with.
14 I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
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I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15 The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
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What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I have spoken in my heart, saying: Behold I am become great, and have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem: and my mind hath contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
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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 have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and 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 chasing after wind.
18 Because in much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.
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For in much wisdom is much vexation, and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.