Ecclesiastes 1
1 The
words of the
Preacher, the
son of
David, king in
Jerusalem. 2 Vanity of
vanities, saith the
Preacher, vanity of
vanities; all is
vanity. 3 What
profit hath a
man of all his
labour 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
ariseth, and the
sun goeth
down, and
hasteth to his
place where he
arose.
6 The
wind goeth toward the
south, and turneth
about unto the
north; it whirleth about
continually, and the
wind returneth
again according to his
circuits. 7 All the
rivers run into the
sea; yet the
sea is not
full; unto the
place from whence the
rivers come, thither they
return again.
8 All
things are full of
labour; 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 whereof 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
sore travail hath
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 mine own
heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great
estate, and have
gotten more
wisdom than all they that have been
before me in
Jerusalem: yea, 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.