1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3 What profit has a man of all his labor which he takes under the sun?
4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth stays for ever.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to his place where he arose.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns about to the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to his circuits.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from where the rivers come, thither they return again.
8 All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 The thing that has 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.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it has been already of old time, which was before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail has God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 I communed with my own heart, saying, See, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yes, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.
1 The words of the preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2 Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 What is the profit to a man in all his labor which he labors under the sun?
4 A generation passes away, and a generation comes; but the earth stands perpetually.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, panting in a hurry to its place where it rises again.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and it turns around to the north; it whirls around continually; and the wind returns according to its circuits.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from where the rivers come, there they return again.
8 All things are full of labor; man is not able to utter it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there a thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has already been in the days of antiquity, which were before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things, and also no remembrance of following things of what will be; nor a remembrance of those things by those who follow afterwards.
12 I, the preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And I have given my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that which is done under the heavens. It is an evil task which God has given to the sons of men to be busied with.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and striving of spirit.
15 What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is lacking cannot be numbered.
16 I spoke within my own heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have gathered more wisdom than all who have been before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart has seen much of wisdom and knowledge.
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I have perceived that this also is striving of spirit.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.