1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in
Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities;
all is vanity.
3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under
the sun?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh:
but the earth abideth for ever.
5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to
his place where he arose.
6 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.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto
the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return
again.
8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is
not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9 The 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.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new?
it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there
be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that
shall come after.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13 And 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.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and,
behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
15 That 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 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.
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and
folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth
knowledge increaseth sorrow.
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