I. 1909-14. Ecclesiastes. The Harvard Classics

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Ecclesiastes.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.


[1]	THE WORDS of the 1 Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
[2]	Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
[3]	What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?
[4]	One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever.
[5]	The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.
[6]	The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.
[7]	All the rivers 2 run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.
[8]	All 3 things are full of weariness; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
[9]	That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
[10]	Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
[11]	There is no remembrance of the former generations; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter generations that are to come, among those that shall come after.
[12]	I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
[13]	And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
[14]	I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a 4 striving after wind.
[15]	That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that 5 which is wanting cannot be numbered.
[16]	I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above 6 all that were before me in 7 Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath 8 had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
[17]	And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.
[18]	For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

Note 1. Heb. Koheleth. [back]

Note 2. Or, torrents. [back]

Note 3. Or, All words are feeble. [back]

Note 4. Or, a feeding on wind (see Hos. 12. 1) Or, vexation of spirit and so elsewhere. [back]

Note 5. Heb. defect. [back]

Note 6. Or, yea, more than all. [back]

Note 7. Heb. over. [back]

Note 8. Heb. hath seen abundantly. [back]

CONTENTS · BOOK CONTENTS · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

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