Ecclesiastes, the Preacher

⭑ Catholic Public Domain Version 2009 ⭑

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- Chapter 1 -

All is in vain

The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.(a)

Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!(b)

What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?(c)

A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.(d)

The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,

it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle.(e)

All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again.

Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing.(f)

What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done.

There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: “Behold, this is new!” For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us.

There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end.(g)

With wisdom comes sorrow

I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.

And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it.

I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.

The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.

I have spoken in my heart, saying: “Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem.” And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.

And I have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit.

Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.(h)

Footnotes

(a)1:1 This book is attributed to king Solomon, being based on his words of wisdom from God. Solomon is called Ecclesiastes because he calls the people to an assembly (ecclesia), so as to teach them wisdom.(Conte)

(b)1:2 Solomon is pointing out the emptiness of worldly things by themselves. The word ‘vanitas’ can also refer to emptiness.(Conte)

(c)1:3 The repeated use of the phrase ‘under the sun’ indicates that this book is about this life, not about the next life in Heaven.(Conte)

(d)1:4 Though Scripture says that heaven and earth shall pass away, Scripture also says that God will create a new heaven and a new earth. Then the new heaven, as well as the new earth, stand forever.(Conte)

(e)1:6 The meridian is midday (i.e. the highest point that the sun reaches in the sky) or more generally the middle of the sky (i.e. neither horizon). The term meridian may also be translated as ‘south,’ referring to the fact that the sun is more to the south when viewed from locations in the northern hemisphere, such as Jerusalem. The sun then arcs more toward the north (but not actually north of due west); this is particularly evident in winter and at higher latitudes, where the sun is fairly low in the southern sky about midday, and then arcs more toward the north as it sets.(Conte)

(f)1:8 The word ‘cunctae’ is not as all inclusive as ‘universae,’ hence the translation ‘such things.’(Conte)

(g)1:11 This verse prophetically indicates that, during the last days, the world will have a disdain for, and a rejection of, true historical information.(Conte)

(h)1:18 The wiser one becomes, the more one realizes how much foolishness is in the world, resulting in a righteous anger or indignation; this is a burden to those who attain wisdom.(Conte)