1 T he 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 W hat profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?

4 O ne generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever.

5 T he sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose.

6 T he wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit.

7 A ll 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 A ll things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.

9 T hat which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.

10 I s there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.

11 T here is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after. The Grief of Wisdom

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

13 A nd I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.

14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

15 W hat is crooked cannot be made straight, And what is lacking cannot be numbered.

16 I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.”

17 A nd I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.

18 F or in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.