Ecclesiastes 1
1THE words of the preacher, the son of David [and] king of Israel in Jerusalem:
2Vanity of vanities, said the preacher. Vanity of vanities. All is vanity.
3What lasting advantage hath a man by all the labour with which he toileth under the sun?
4One generation passeth away and another cometh. But the earth hath continually kept its station.
5The sun riseth and the sun setteth and cometh round to his place.
6Rising there he marcheth southward, then wheeleth about to the north. The wind wheeleth in circuits, and in its circuits it returneth.
7All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not filled. To the place whence the rivers come, thither they return to continue their course.
8All these considerations are wearisome. Man cannot recount them: nor can the eye be satisfied with seeing; nor the ear filled with hearing.
9What is that which hath been? The very same which shall be. And what is that which hath been done? The very same which shall be done: for there is nothing entirely new under the sun.
10Who can speak and say, Behold this is entirely new. It hath been already in the ages past which were before us.
11There is no remembrance of former things: and of those things which shall happen hereafter, there will be no remembrance among them who shall be born at a remote period.
12I, the preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem;
13and I applied my heart to seek and make diligent search by wisdom concerning all the things which are done on the earth. Because God hath assigned to the sons of men painful employment, that they may be kept employed,
14I took a view of all the different sorts of work which are done under the sun. And behold they are all vanity and vexation of spirit.
15That which is crooked cannot be made straight, nor can wants be numbered.
16I communed with my heart, saying, Behold I am become great and have made advances in wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. And I have applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge.
17And my mind hath taken a view of many things—of wisdom and knowledge—of parables and science.
18I have found by experience that this also is indeed vexation of spirit. Because by much wisdom there is much knowledge: and he who addeth to his knowledge will add to his sorrow.