1 T he words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2 V anity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

3 W hat profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?

4 O ne generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever.

5 T he sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.

6 T he wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.

7 A ll the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.

8 A ll things are full of weariness; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

9 T hat which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 I s there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us.

11 T here is no remembrance of the former generations; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter generations that are to come, among those that shall come after.

12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 A nd I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

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

15 T hat which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

16 I communed with mine own hear, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

17 A nd I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.

18 F or in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.