| Chapter 1 |
1 |
The words of the preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem. |
2 |
Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. |
3 |
What profit hath a man of all his labor, which he taketh under the sun? |
4 |
One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. |
5 |
The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. |
6 |
The wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about to the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to its circuits. |
7 |
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from whence 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 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. |
10 |
Is there any thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? it hath 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 grievous labor hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised with it. |
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, Lo, I have come to great estate, and have gained more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: and 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 increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. |