Ecclesiastes 1

₁The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. ₂Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. ₃What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? ₄One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. ₅The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. ₆The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. ₇All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. ₈All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. ₉The 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. ₁₀Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. ₁₁There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

₁₂I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. ₁₃And 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. ₁₄I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. ₁₅That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. ₁₆I 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. ₁₇And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. ₁₈For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.