Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 1

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 The words of David's son, Qoheleth, king in Jerusalem:	1 The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!	2 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
3 What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun?	3 What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
4 One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays.	4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
5 The sun rises and the sun goes down; then it presses on to the place where it rises.	5 The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
6 Blowing now toward the south, then toward the north, the wind turns again and again, resuming its rounds.	6 Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.
7 All rivers go to the sea, yet never does the sea become full. To the place where they go, the rivers keep on going.	7 All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.
8 All speech is labored; there is nothing man can say. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor is the ear filled with hearing.	8 All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.
9 What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun.	9 What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.
10 Even the thing of which we say, "See, this is new!" has already existed in the ages that preceded us.	10 Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.
11 There is no remembrance of the men of old; nor of those to come will there be any remembrance among those who come after them.	11 There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.
12 I, Qoheleth, was king over Israel in Jerusalem,	12 I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,
13 and I applied my mind to search and investigate in wisdom all things that are done under the sun. A thankless task God has appointed for men to be busied about.	13 And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.
14 I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a chase after wind.	14 I have seen all things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is missing cannot be supplied.	15 The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
16 Though I said to myself, "Behold, I have become great and stored up wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem, and my mind has broad experience of wisdom and knowledge";	16 I have spoken in my heart, saying: Behold I am become great, and have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem: and my mind hath contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
17 yet when I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly, I learned that this also is a chase after wind.	17 And I have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and vexation of spirit,
18 For in much wisdom there is much sorrow, and he who stores up knowledge stores up grief.	18 Because In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.