קֹהֶלֶת

Ecclesiastes — Chapter 1

Read Ecclesiastes Chapter 1 in Biblical Hebrew alongside the King James Version (KJV) — 18 verses. Original Hebrew text with vowel points (nikud) and full English translation.

דִּבְרֵ֣י קֹהֶ֔לֶת בֶּן דָּוִ֖ד מֶ֥לֶךְ בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

KJVThe words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

הֲבֵ֤ל הֲבָלִים֙ אָמַ֣ר קֹהֶ֔לֶת הֲבֵ֥ל הֲבָלִ֖ים הַכֹּ֥ל הָֽבֶל׃

KJVVanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

מַה יִּתְר֖וֹן לָֽאָדָ֑ם בְּכָל עֲמָל֔וֹ שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

KJVWhat profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?

דּ֤וֹר הֹלֵךְ֙ וְד֣וֹר בָּ֔א וְהָאָ֖רֶץ לְעוֹלָ֥ם עֹמָֽדֶת׃

KJVOne generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever.

וְזָרַ֤ח הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ וּבָ֣א הַשָּׁ֔מֶשׁ וְאֶ֨ל מְקוֹמ֔וֹ שׁוֹאֵ֛ף זוֹרֵ֥חַ ה֖וּא שָֽׁם׃

KJVThe sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to its place where it rises.

הוֹלֵ֣ךְ אֶל דָּר֗וֹם וְסוֹבֵ֤ב אֶל צָפוֹן֙ סוֹבֵ֤ב סֹבֵב֙ הוֹלֵ֣ךְ הָר֔וּחַ וְעַל סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו שָׁ֥ב הָרֽוּחַ׃

KJVThe wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

The wind goes toward the south and turns to the north; around and around goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.

כָּל הַנְּחָלִים֙ הֹלְכִ֣ים אֶל הַיָּ֔ם וְהַיָּ֖ם אֵינֶ֣נּוּ מָלֵ֑א אֶל מְק֗וֹם שֶׁהַנְּחָלִים֙ הֹלְכִ֔ים שָׁ֛ם הֵ֥ם שָׁבִ֖ים לָלָֽכֶת׃

KJVAll the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.

כָּל הַדְּבָרִ֣ים יְגֵעִ֔ים לֹא יוּכַ֥ל אִ֖ישׁ לְדַבֵּ֑ר לֹא תִשְׂבַּ֤ע עַ֙יִן֙ לִרְא֔וֹת וְלֹא תִמָּלֵ֥א אֹ֖זֶן מִשְּׁמֹֽעַ׃

KJVAll things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

מַה שֶּׁהָיָ֣ה ה֣וּא שֶׁיִּֽהְיֶ֗ה וּמַה שֶּׁנַּֽעֲשָׂ֔ה ה֖וּא שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין כָּל חָדָ֖שׁ תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃

KJVThe 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.

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.

יֵ֛שׁ דָּבָ֥ר שֶׁיֹּאמַ֖ר רְאֵ֣ה זֶ֑ה חָדָ֣שׁ ה֔וּא כְּבָ֤ר הָיָה֙ לְעֹֽלָמִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה מִלְּפָנֵֽנוּ׃

KJVIs there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has been already in the ages before us.

אֵ֥ין זִכְר֖וֹן לָרִאשֹׁנִ֑ים וְגַ֤ם לָאַחֲרֹנִים֙ שֶׁיִּ֣הְי֔וּ לֹא יִהְיֶ֥ה לָהֶ֖ם זִכָּר֑וֹן עִ֥ם שֶׁיִּהְי֖וּ לָאַחֲרֹנָֽה׃

KJVThere is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come among those who come after.

אֲנִ֣י קֹהֶ֔לֶת הָיִ֥יתִי מֶ֖לֶךְ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃

KJVI the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

וְנָתַ֣תִּי אֶת לִבִּ֗י לִדְר֤וֹשׁ וְלָתוּר֙ בַּחָכְמָ֔ה עַ֛ל כָּל אֲשֶׁ֥ר נַעֲשָׂ֖ה תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם ה֣וּא עִנְיַ֤ן רָ֙ע֙ נָתַ֣ן אֱלֹהִ֔ים לִבְנֵ֥י הָאָדָ֖ם לַעֲנ֥וֹת בּֽוֹ׃

KJVAnd 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.

And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with.

רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂ֔ים שֶׁנַּעֲשׂ֖וּ תַּ֣חַת הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַכֹּ֖ל הֶ֥בֶל וּרְעוּת רֽוּחַ׃

KJVI have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

מְעֻוָּ֖ת לֹא יוּכַ֣ל לִתְקֹ֑ן וְחֶסְר֖וֹן לֹא יוּכַ֥ל לְהִמָּנֽוֹת׃

KJVThat which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

דִּבַּ֧רְתִּי אֲנִ֣י עִם לִבִּ֗י לֵאמֹ֞ר אֲנִ֗י הִנֵּ֤ה הִגְדַּ֙לְתִּי֙ וְהוֹסַ֣פְתִּי חָכְמָ֔ה עַ֛ל כָּל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הָיָ֖ה לְפָנַ֣י עַל יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם וְלִבִּ֛י רָאָ֥ה הַרְבֵּ֖ה חָכְמָ֥ה וָדָֽעַת׃

KJVI 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.

I said in my heart, "I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge."

וָאֶתְּנָ֣ה לִבִּ֔י לָדַ֖עַת חָכְמָ֑ה וְדַ֙עַת֙ הוֹלֵל֣וֹת וְשִׂכְל֔וּת יָדַ֕עְתִּי שֶׁגַּם זֶ֖ה ה֥וּא רַעְי֖וֹן רֽוּחַ׃

KJVAnd I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.

כִּ֛י בְּרֹ֥ב חָכְמָ֖ה רֹ֣ב כָּ֑עַס וְיוֹסִ֥יף דַּ֖עַת יוֹסִ֥יף מַכְאֽוֹב׃

KJVFor in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.