Ecclesiastes 1

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 profit does a man have in all his labor which he labors under the sun?

4. One generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

5. The sun also arises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it arose.

6. The wind goes toward the south, and it turns around to the north; it whirls around continually; and the wind returns on 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 cannot 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 days of old, which were before us.

11. There is no memory of former things, neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who shall come afterwards.

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 the heavens. It is a grievous task God has given to the sons of men to be exercised by it.

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

15. What is crooked cannot be made straight; and what 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 that have been before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart has experienced great wisdom and knowledge.”

17. And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving after wind.

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