Ecclesiastes 1

1. (Eccles 1:1) The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2. (Eccles 1:2) Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
3. (Eccles 1:3) What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4. (Eccles 1:4) One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
5. (Eccles 1:5) The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
6. (Eccles 1:6) 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. (Eccles 1:7) 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. (Eccles 1:8) All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9. (Eccles 1:9) 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. (Eccles 1:10) 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. (Eccles 1:11) 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. (Eccles 1:12) I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13. (Eccles 1:13) 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. (Eccles 1:14) I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
15. (Eccles 1:15) That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16. (Eccles 1:16) 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. (Eccles 1:17) And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
18. (Eccles 1:18) For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.