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。
1Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2万事令人厌倦都是虚空传道者说：虚空的虚空。虚空的虚空，一切都是虚空。
2Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity.
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？
3What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?
4一代过去，一代又来，地却永远存在。
4A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.
5太阳升起，太阳落下，匆忙回到它上升之处。
5Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.
6风向南刮，又往北转，循环周行，旋转不息。
6Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.
7江河向海里流，海却不满溢；江河之水归回本源，循环流转。
7All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.
8万事都令人厌倦，人说，说不尽；眼看，看不饱；耳听，听不足。
8All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.
9已有的事必再有，作过的事必再作；日光之下并无新事。
9What [is] that which hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.
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。
10There is a thing of which [one] saith: `See this, it [is] new!` already it hath been in the ages that were before us!
11以前的事，无人记念；将来的事，后来的人也不追忆。
11There is not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.
12智慧知识都是虚空那时，我传道者在耶路撒冷作以色列的王。
12I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
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。
13And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
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。
14I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
15弯曲的，不能弄直；缺少的，不能数算。
15A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
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。”
16I — I spake with my heart, saying, `I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.
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。
17And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
18因为多有智慧，就多有烦恼；加增知识，就加增痛苦。
18for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.`