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 has a man from all his labor which he does under the sun?
4. One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth remains for ever.
5. The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to its place where it arose.
6. The wind goes toward the south, and turns back to the north; it whirls around continually, and the wind returns again according to its circulation.
7. All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from which the rivers come, there they return again.
8. All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it 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 of which 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 applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this hard toil has God given to the sons of man to be occupied with.
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 lacking cannot be numbered.
16. I communed with my own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all those who have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
17. And I applied 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.