1 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. 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. 5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. 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. 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. 8 All things are full of labour; 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. 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. 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.

12 I the Preacher was 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. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting 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. 17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. 18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

1 以下是传道者， 就是在耶路撒冷作王、大卫的儿子所说的话。

2 传道者说： 虚空的虚空。虚空的虚空， 一切都是虚空。

3 人的一切劳碌， 就是他在日光之下的劳碌， 对自己有什么益处呢？

4 一代过去， 一代又来， 地却永远存在。

5 太阳升起， 太阳落下， 匆忙回到它上升之处。

6 风向南刮， 又往北转， 循环周行， 旋转不息。

7 江河向海里流， 海却不满溢； 江河之水归回本源， 循环流转。

8 万事都令人厌倦， 人说， 说不尽； 眼看， 看不饱； 耳听， 听不足。

9 已有的事必再有， 作过的事必再作； 日光之下并无新事。

10 有什么事人可以说： "看啊！ 这是新的"？其实， 很久之前已经有了， 在我们之前早就有了。

11 以前的事， 无人记念； 将来的事， 后来的人也不追忆。

12 那时， 我传道者在耶路撒冷作以色列的王。

13 我曾用智慧专心寻求查究天下所发生的一切事； 原来 神给予世人的， 是劳苦的担子， 叫他们为此烦恼。

14 我看过日光之下所发生的一切事， 不料， 一切都是虚空， 都是捕风。

15 弯曲的， 不能弄直； 缺少的， 不能数算。

16 我自己心里说： "我得了极大的智慧， 胜过所有在我以前统治耶路撒冷的人； 我见识了许多智慧与知识。"

17 我又专心究察智慧和知识， 狂妄和愚昧， 才知道这也是捕风。

18 因为多有智慧， 就多有烦恼； 加增知识， 就加增痛苦。