1:1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. |
1:2 "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "vanity of vanities! All is vanity." |
1:3 What profit does a man have in all his labor which he labors under the sun? |
1:4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever. |
1:5 The sun also arises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it arose. |
1:6 The wind goes toward the south, and it turns around to the north; it whirls around continually; and the wind returns on its circuits. |
1:7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from where the rivers come, there they return again. |
1:8 All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. |
1:9 That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun. |
1:10 Is there a thing of which it may be said, "See, this is new"? It has already been in days of old, which were before us. |
1:11 There is no memory of former things, neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come by those who shall come afterwards. |
1:12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. |
1:13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under the heavens. It is a grievous task God has given to the sons of men to be exercised by it. |
1:14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. |
1:15 What is crooked cannot be made straight; and what is lacking cannot be numbered. |
1:16 I spoke within my own heart, saying, "Lo, I have become great and have gathered more wisdom than all that have been before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart has experienced great wisdom and knowledge." |
1:17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving after wind. |
1:18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. |