القراءة بلغتين

أَقْوالُ الجامِعَةِ، ٱبنِ داودَ، المَلِكِ في أُورَشَليم

باطِلُ الأَباطيل، يَقولُ الجامِعة باطِلُ الأَباطيل، كُلُّ شَيءٍ باطِل

أَيُّ فائِدَةٍ لِلإِنْسانِ مِن كُلِّ تَعَبِه الَّذي يُعانيه تَحتَ الشَّمْس؟

جيلٌ يَمْضي وجيلٌ يأتي والأَرضُ قائِمَةٌ أَبَدَ الدُّهور

والشَّمسُ تَشرُقُ والشَّمسُ تَغرُب ثُمَّ تُسرِعُ إِلى مَكانِها ومِنه تَطلَع

تَذهَبُ الرِّيحُ إِلى الجَنوبِ وتَدورُ إِلى الشَّمال تَدورُ وتَدورُ ذاهِبَةً، ثُمَّ إِلى مَدارِها تَعود

جَميعُ الأَنْهارِ تَجْري إِلى البَحْرِ والبَحرُ لَيسَ بِمَلْآن ثُمَّ إِلى المَكانِ الَّذي جَرَت منه الأَنْهار هُناكَ تَعودُ فتَجْري أَيضًا

جَميعُ الأَموالِ تُعْيي فلا يَستَطيعُ الإِنسانُ الكَلام. لا تَشبَعُ العَينُ مِنَ النَّظَر ولا تَمتَلِئُ الأُذُنُ مِنَ السَّماع

ما كانَ فهُو الَّذي سيَكون وما صُنِعَ فهُو الَّذي سَيُصنَع فلَيسَ تَحتَ الشَّمسِ شَيءٌ جَديد

رُبَّ أَمرٍ يُقالُ فيه: «أُنظُرْ، هٰذا جديد» بل قد كانَ في الدُّهورِ الَّتي كانَت قَبلَنا

لَيسَ مِن ذِكْرٍ لِما سَبَق ولا مِن ذِكْرٍ لِما سيَكون عِندَ الَّذينَ يأتونَ مِن بَعدُ

أَنا الجامِعَةَ مَلَكتُ على إِسْرائيلَ بِأُورَشَليم

فوَجَّهتُ قَلْبي لِيَطلُبَ ويَبحَثَ بِالحِكمةِ عن كُلِّ ما صُنِعَ تَحتَ السَّماء فإِذا هو عَمَلٌ رَدِيءٌ جَعَلَه اللهُ لِبَني البَشَر لِيَعمَلوه

رَأَيتُ جَميعَ الأَعْمالِ الَّتي عُمِلَت تَحتَ الشَّمْس فإِذا كُلُّ شَيءٍ باطِلٌ وسَعيٌ وَراءَ الرِّيح

المُلْتَوي لا يُمكِنُ أَن يُقَوَّم والنَّاقِصُ لا يُمكِنُ أَنْ يُحْصَى

لقَد ناجَيتُ قَلْبي قائِلًا: «هاءَنَذا قد أَنمَيتُ وزِدتُ الحِكمَةَ فَوقَ كُلِّ مَن كانَ قَبْلي بِأُورَشَليم وأَكثَرَ قَلْبي مِن تَذَوُّقِ الحِكمَةِ والمَعرِفَة

ووَجَّهتُ قَلْبي إِلى مَعرِفَةِ الحِكمَة ومَعرِفَةِ الجُنونِ والحَماقة فعَرَفتُ أَنَّ هٰذا أَيضًا سَعْيٌ وَراءَ الرِّيح

لِأَنَّ في كَثرَةِ الحِكمَةِ كَثرَةَ الغَمّ ومَنِ ٱزْدادَ عِلْمًا فقَدِ ٱزْدادَ أَلَمًا»

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:

“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

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

The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.

All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.

All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

That which has been is that which shall be, and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.

Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new”? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.

There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after.

I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.

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

That which is crooked can’t be made straight; and that which is lacking can’t be counted.

I said to myself, “Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.”

I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind.

For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.