I.
The opening word
1:1-11
Eccl. 1
:1
1:1
The words of the
1aPreacher, the
bson of David, the king in Jerusalem.
Eccl. 1
:2
1:2
1aVanity of vanities, says the Preacher;
Vanity of vanities;
2all is
bvanity.
Eccl. 1
:3
1:3
aWhat advantage does a man have in all his work
Which he does
bunder the sun?
Eccl. 1
:4
1:4
A generation goes and a generation comes,
But the earth
astands forever.
Eccl. 1
:5
1:5
Also, the sun
arises, and the sun sets
And hurries to its place where it rises.
Eccl. 1
:6
1:6
Going to the south, then turning to the north,
Turning about continually, the wind goes on;
And
following its circuits, the wind returns.
Eccl. 1
:7
1:7
All the rivers run to the sea,
Yet the sea is not full;
To the place where the rivers run,
There they run again.
Eccl. 1
:8
1:8
All things are wearisome;
No one is able to tell
it;
The
aeye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor is the ear filled with hearing.
Eccl. 1
:9
1:9
aWhat has been is what will be,
And what has been done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new
bunder the sun.
Eccl. 1
:10
1:10
Is there anything of which one can say, See, this is new?
Already it has been, in the ages that were before us.
Eccl. 1
:11
1:11
There is
ano remembrance of those who were before;
And also those who will come to be afterward, for them there will be no
remembrance
With those who come to be after
them.
II.
The writer's experiments
1:12—6:32
A.
In wisdom and knowledge
1:12-18
Eccl. 1
:12
1:12
I, the
aPreacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Eccl. 1
:13
1:13
And I set my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom
1all that is done
aunder the heavens. It is grievous
btravail that God has given to the children of men to travail in.
Eccl. 1
:14
1:14
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and indeed, all is vanity and a
1achasing after wind.
Eccl. 1
:15
1:15
What is
acrooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
Eccl. 1
:16
1:16
I spoke to my own heart, saying, Now I have magnified and increased
my wisdom more than all who have been over Jerusalem
abefore me; and my heart has observed in abundance wisdom and knowledge.
Eccl. 1
:17
1:17
And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I perceived that this also is a chasing after wind.
Eccl. 1
:18
1:18
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
