The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; allisvanity.
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
Onegeneration passeth away, andanothergeneration cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
All the rivers run into the sea; yet the seaisnot full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
All thingsarefull of labour; man cannot utterit:the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
The thing that hath been, itis thatwhich shall be; and that which is doneisthat which shall be done: andthere isno newthingunder the sun.
Is thereanything whereof it may be said, See, thisisnew? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
There isno remembrance of formerthings;neither shall there beanyremembrance ofthingsthat are to come withthosethat shall come after.
I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning allthingsthat are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, allisvanity and vexation of spirit.
That which iscrooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than alltheythat have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
For in much wisdomismuch grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.