Old/New Testament

1 The words of Ecclesiastes^[a], son of David, king of Jerusalem.

² Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes; vanity of vanities, and all things be vanity. (Emptiness and futility, said Ecclesiastes; emptiness and futility, yea, everything is empty and futile.)

³ What hath a man more[over] of all his travail, by which he travaileth under the sun? (What profiteth a person from all his labour, that he laboureth at under the sun?)

⁴ A generation passeth away, [and] another generation cometh; but the earth standeth without end. (One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth endureth forever.)

⁵ The sun riseth [up], and goeth down, and turneth again to his place (and returneth to its place); and there it riseth again,

⁶ and compasseth by the south, and turneth again to the north. The spirit compassing all things goeth about, and turneth again into his circles. (and goeth around to the south, and then returneth to the north. Going around, the wind goeth about touching all things, and then returneth full circle.)

⁷ All floods enter into the sea, and the sea floweth not over the marks set of God; the floods turn again to the place from whence they come forth, that they flow [out] again. (All the rivers enter into the sea, and the sea floweth not over the boundaries set by God; the rivers return to the places from where they came forth, only so that they can flow out again.)

⁸ All things be hard; a man may not declare those things by word (a person cannot declare all of these things with words alone); the eye is not (ful)filled by sight, neither the ear is filled by hearing.

⁹ What is that thing that was, that that shall come? What is that thing that is made, that that shall be made? Nothing under the sun is new, (What is that thing that was, but that which shall come again? What is that thing that is made, but that which shall be made later? Nothing is new under the sun,)

¹⁰ neither any man may say, Lo! this thing is new; for now it went before in worlds, that were before us. (nor can anyone say, Lo! this is new; for it hath already come before, in the time that was before us.)

¹¹ Mind of the former things is not, but soothly neither thinking of those things, that shall come afterward, shall be at them that shall come in the last time. (Remembering the former things is not done, and those things that come now, shall not be remembered by those who shall come after us.)

¹² I Ecclesiastes was king of Israel in Jerusalem;

¹³ and I purposed in my soul to seek and ensearch wisely of all things, that be made under the sun. God gave this evil occupation to the sons of men, that they should be occupied therein. (and I purposed in my mind to wisely seek out and to search into everything, that is done under the sun. God gave this difficult task to the sons and daughters of men, so that they would be occupied with it.)

¹⁴ I saw all things that be made under the sun, and lo! all things be vanity and torment of spirit. (I saw everything that is done under the sun, and lo! everything is empty and futile, like chasing the wind.)

¹⁵ Wayward men be amended of hard (The wayward can only be corrected with great difficulty); and the number of fools is great without end.

¹⁶ I spake in mine heart, and I said, Lo! I am made great, and I passed in wisdom all men, that were before me in Jerusalem; and my soul saw many things wisely, and I learned. (I said in my heart, Lo! I am made great, and I have surpassed in wisdom all who were before me in Jerusalem; I have seen many things, and I have become wise, yea, I have learned much.)

¹⁷ And I gave mine heart, that I should know prudence and doctrine, and errors and folly. And I knew that in these things also was travail and torment of spirit; (And I gave my heart, or I applied my mind, so that I would understand wisdom and doctrine, and errors and foolishness. And I learned that all these things were also empty and futile, like chasing the wind;)

¹⁸ for in much wisdom is much indignation, and he that increaseth knowing, increaseth also travail. (for the greater one’s wisdom, the greater one’s anger, or one’s vexation, and he who increaseth his knowledge, also increaseth his own troubles.)

2 Therefore I said in mine heart, I shall go, and I shall flow in delights, and I shall use goods; and I saw also that this was vanity. (And so I said in my heart, I shall go, and I shall enjoy all delights, and I shall enjoy all good things; and I saw that this was also empty and futile.)

² And laughing I areckoned error, and I said to joy, What art thou, deceived in vain? (And I reckoned laughter as but error, and I said to joy, Of what value art thou?)

³ I thought in mine heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, that I should lead over my soul to wisdom, and that I would eschew folly, till I should see, what were profitable to the sons of men; in which deed the number of days of their life under the sun is needful. (I thought in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, so that I could lead over my soul unto wisdom, and so that I would eschew foolishness, until I could see, what was profitable to the sons and daughters of men; yea, which deeds, or works, be useful, or meaningful, all the days of their lives under the sun.)

⁴ I magnified, either made great, my works, I builded houses to me (I built houses for myself), and I planted vines;

⁵ I made yards and orchards, and I set those with trees of all kind(s);

⁶ and I made cisterns of waters, for to water the wood of [the] trees growing. (and I made water cisterns, to water the trees growing in the woods, or in the groves.)

⁷ I had in possession servants and handmaids; and I had much household, and droves of great beasts, and great flocks of sheep, over all men that were before me in Jerusalem. (I had in possession servants and servantesses/male and female slaves; and I had many slaves born in my house, and herds of great beasts, and great flocks of sheep, yea, more than all those who came before me in Jerusalem.)

⁸ I gathered together to me silver and gold, and the castles of kings and of provinces; I made to me singers and singeresses, and [the] delights of the sons of men, and cups and vessels in service, to pour out wines; (I gathered together for myself silver and gold, from the castles of kings and out of provinces; I got singers and singeresses for myself, and enjoyed all the delights of the sons and daughters of men, yea, with cups and vessels for service, to pour the wine into;)

⁹ and I passed in riches all men that were before me in Jerusalem. Also wisdom dwelled stably with me, (and I surpassed in wealth all those who came before me in Jerusalem. And wisdom dwelled steadfastly with me,)

¹⁰ and all things which mine eyes desired, I denied not to them; neither I refrained mine heart, that not it used all lust, and delighted itself in these things which I had made ready; and I deemed this my part, if I used my travail. (and anything which my eyes desired, I did not deny them; nor did I refrain my heart from anything it desired, and it delighted itself in those things which I had prepared for it; and I judged this my portion, for all my labour.)

¹¹ And when I had turned me to all the works which mine hands had made, and to the travails in which I had sweated (over) in vain, I saw in all things vanity and torment of soul, and that nothing under [the] sun dwelleth . (And when I turned and looked upon all the works which my hands had made, and upon the labour which I had sweated over, I saw that everything was empty and futile, like chasing the wind, and that nothing remained stable, or unchanging, under the sun.)

¹² I passed forth to behold wisdom, and errors, and folly; I said, What is a man, that he may follow the king, his maker? (I said, What new thing can even he who followeth the king do?)

¹³ And I saw, that wisdom went so much before folly, as much as light is diverse from darknesses.

¹⁴ The eyes of a wise man be in his head, (and) a fool goeth in darknesses; and I learned, that one perishing was of ever either. (The eyes of a wise person be in his head, and a fool goeth in the darkness; but I learned, that the same perishing, or the same death, would come to both of them.)

¹⁵ And I said in mine heart, If one death shall be both of the fool and of me, what profiteth it to me, that I gave more busyness to wisdom? And I spake with my soul, and perceived, that this also was vanity. (And I said in my heart, If one death shall be for both the fool and for me, what profiteth it to me, that I gave more busyness, or more effort and study, to wisdom? And I spoke with myself, and understood, that this was also empty and futile.)

¹⁶ For the mind of a wise man shall not be, (and) in like manner as neither (that) of a fool, without end, and [the] times to coming shall cover all things (al)together with forgetting; a learned man dieth in like manner as an unlearned man. (For a wise person shall not be remembered, and in like manner neither shall a fool, yea, for ever, and the times to come shall altogether cover all things with forgetting; for a learned person dieth in the same manner as an unlearned person.)

¹⁷ And therefore it annoyed me of my life, seeing that all things under [the] sun be evil, and that all things be vanity and torment of the spirit. (And so it vexed me to live, seeing that all things under the sun be troublesome, and that everything is empty and futile, like chasing the wind.)

¹⁸ Again I cursed all my busyness, by which I travailed most studiously under [the] sun; and I shall have an heir after me,

¹⁹ whom I know not, whether he shall be wise either a fool; and he shall be lord in my travails, for which I sweated greatly, and was busy; and is there anything so vain? (whom I know not, whether he shall be wise or a fool; but he shall be the lord of all my works, for which I was so busy, and greatly sweated over; is there anything so empty and futile as this?)

²⁰ Wherefore I ceased, and mine heart forsook for to travail further under [the] sun. (And so I ceased to study, and my heart did not desire to labour any more under the sun.)

²¹ For why when another man travaileth in wisdom, and teaching, and busyness, he leaveth things gotten to an idle man; and therefore this is vanity, and great evil. (For though a person laboureth over something with wisdom, and knowledge, and diligence, he must leave all that he hath gotten to someone else, who did not labour over it; and so this is empty and futile, and a great evil.)

²² For why what shall it profit to a man of all his travail, and torment of spirit, with which he was tormented under [the] sun? (For what shall it profit a person for all his labour, and trials and tribulations, with which he was tormented under the sun?)

²³ All his days be full of sorrows and mischiefs, and by night he resteth not in soul; and whether this is not vanity? (All his days be full of sorrows and mischiefs, and at night his soul resteth not; and is not this all empty and futile?)

²⁴ Whether it is not better to eat and drink, and to show to his soul [the] goods of his travails? and this thing is of the hand of God. (Is it not better for a person to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good things from all his labour? and this is also from the hand of God.)

²⁵ Who shall devour so, and shall flow in (such) delights, as I have? (Who shall ever devour such food, and shall flow in, or shall enjoy, such delights, as I have?)

²⁶ God gave wisdom, and knowing, and gladness to a good man in his sight; but he gave torment, and superfluous busyness to a sinner, that he increase, and gather together, and give to him that pleaseth God; but also this is vanity, and vain busyness of soul. (God gave wisdom, and knowledge, and happiness to those who be good before him; but he gave torment, and superfluous busyness to the sinner, so that first he increase, and gather together, but then he must give it all to him who pleaseth God; but this is also empty and futile, like chasing the wind.)

3 All things have time, and all things under [the] sun pass by their spaces. (Everything hath a time, and all things pass forth in their places under the sun.)

² Time of birth, and time of dying; time to plant, and time to draw up that that is planted. (Time to be born, and time to die; time to plant, and time to draw up what is planted.)

³ Time to slay, and time to make whole (Time to kill, and time to heal); time to destroy, and time to build.

⁴ Time to weep, and time to laugh; time to bewail, and time to dance.

⁵ Time to scatter stones, and time to gather (them) together; time to embrace, and time to be far from embracings.

⁶ Time to get, and time to lose; time to keep, and time to cast away. (Time to get, and time to set free; time to keep, and time to throw away.)

⁷ Time to cut, and time to sew together; time to be still, and time to speak (time to be silent, and time to speak).

⁸ Time to love, and time of hatred; time of battle, and time of peace. (Time to love, and time to hate; time to fight, and time to make peace.)

⁹ What hath a man more of his travail? (What more hath a person for all of his labour?)

¹⁰ I saw the torment, which God gave to the sons of men, that they be occupied therein. (I saw the torment, which God gave to the sons and daughters of men, and with which they be occupied.)

¹¹ God made all things good in their time, and gave the world to disputing of them, that a man find not (out) the work that God hath wrought from the beginning unto the end. (God made all things good in their time, and let the world dispute over them, but no one shall understand the work that God hath wrought from the beginning unto the end.)

¹² And I knew that nothing was better to a man, but to be glad, and to do good works in his life. (And so I know that there is nothing better for a person, but to be happy, and to do good works in his life.)

¹³ For why each man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his travail; this is the gift of God. (For each person who eateth, and drinketh, and seeth the good that cometh from all of his labour; yea, this is the gift of God.)

¹⁴ I have learned that all the works, that God made, last steadfastly unto without end; we may not add anything to those works, neither take away from those things, which God made, that he be dreaded (which God made, so that he be feared/so that he be revered).

¹⁵ That thing that is made, dwelleth perfectly; those things that shall come, were before; and God restoreth that, that is gone (and God restoreth what is gone).

¹⁶ I saw under [the] sun unfaithfulness in the place of doom; and wickedness in the place of rightfulness. (I saw under the sun unfaithfulness in place of judgement, or of justice; and wickedness in place of righteousness, or of uprightness.)

¹⁷ And I said in mine heart, The Lord shall deem a just man, and an unfaithful man; and the time of each thing shall be then. (And I said in my heart, The Lord shall judge the righteous, and the unfaithful; and then shall be the proper time for each thing.)

¹⁸ I said in mine heart of the sons (and daughters) of men, that God should prove them, and show (them) that they be like beasts.

¹⁹ Therefore one is the perishing of man and of beasts, and even condition is of ever either; as a man dieth, so and those beasts die; all those breathe in like manner, and a man hath nothing more than a beast. All things be subject to vanity, (And so the perishing of people and of beasts is one and the same, and the condition of both of them is equal, or even; for as a person dieth, so do those beasts die; they all breathe in like manner, and a person hath nothing more than a beast. Everything is empty and futile,)

²⁰ and all things go to one place; those be made of earth, and those turn again (al)together into earth. (and all things go to one place; they all be made of dust, or of dirt, and they shall all return to the dust, or to the dirt.)

²¹ Who knoweth, if the spirit of the sons of Adam goeth upward, and if the spirit of beasts goeth downward? (Yet who knoweth, if the spirits of the sons and daughters of Adam go upward to heaven, and if the spirits of the beasts go downward into the ground? I do not know.)

²² And I perceived that nothing is better, than that a man be glad in his work, and that this be his part; for who shall bring (to) him, that he know things that shall come after him? (And I perceived that nothing is better, than that a person be happy in his work, and that this be his portion; for who shall bring him the knowledge, so that he know what shall come after him?)

¹⁶ Again I say, lest any man guess me to be unwise [lest any man deem me unwise]; else take ye me as unwise, that also I have glory a little what.

¹⁷ That that I speak, I speak not after God, but as in unwisdom [but as to unwisdom], in this substance of glory.

¹⁸ For many men glory after the flesh, and I shall glory.

¹⁹ For ye suffer gladly unwise men, when ye yourselves be wise.

²⁰ For ye suffer, if any man driveth you into servage [if any man drive you into servage], if any man devoureth, if any man taketh, if any man is enhanced [by pride], if any man smiteth you on the face.

²¹ By unnobleness I say, as if we were frail in this part^[a]. In what thing any man dare, in unwisdom I say, and I dare.

²² They be Hebrews, and I; they be Israelites, and I; they be the seed of Abraham, and I;

²³ they be the ministers of Christ, and I. As less wise I say, I more; in full many travails, in prisons more plenteously, in wounds above manner [in wounds above manner, or over measure], in deaths oft times.

²⁴ I received of the Jews five times forty strokes one less;

²⁵ thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I was at ship-break, a night and a day I was in the deepness of the sea;

²⁶ in ways oft, in perils of rivers [in perils of floods], in perils of thieves, in perils of kin, in perils of heathen men, in perils in [the] city, in perils in desert, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren,

²⁷ in travail and neediness, in many wakings, in hunger, in thirst [in travail and neediness, either mis-ease, in many wakings, in hunger and thirst], in many fastings, in cold and nakedness.

²⁸ Without those things that be withoutforth, mine each day's travailing is the busyness of all churches. [Without those things that be withoutforth; mine each day's waking, or studying, the busyness of all churches.]

²⁹ Who is frail, and I am not frail? who is caused to stumble, and I am not burnt? [Who is sick, and I am not sick? who is offended, and I am not burnt?]

³⁰ If it behooveth to glory, I shall glory in those things that be of mine infirmity [that be of my infirmity, or frailty].

³¹ [For] God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that is blessed into worlds, knoweth that I lie not [knoweth, that I gab not, or lie not].

³² The provost of Damascus, of the king of the folk of Aretas [The provost, or keeper, of Damascus, of the king of the folk Arteas], kept the city of Damascenes to take me;

³³ and by a window in a basket I was let down by the wall, and so I escaped his hands.