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 labour wherewith he laboureth under the sun?

4 g eneration passeth away, and generation cometh, but the earth standeth for ever.

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

6 T he wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about towards the north: it turneth about continually, 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 toil; none can express 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 will be done: and there is nothing new under the sun.

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

11 T here is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be remembrance of things that are to come with those who shall live afterwards.

12 I , the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 A nd I applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this grievous occupation hath God given to the children of men to weary themselves therewith.

14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and pursuit of the 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 heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have acquired wisdom more than all they that have been before me over Jerusalem; and my heart hath seen much of wisdom and knowledge.

17 A nd I applied my heart to the knowledge of wisdom, and to the knowledge of madness and folly: I perceived that this also is a striving after the wind.

18 F or in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.