Ecclesiastes Chapter 1

1 : 1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

1 : 2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

1 : 3 What profit has a man of all his labor which he takes under the sun?

1 : 4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth stays for ever.

1 : 5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to his place where he arose.

1 : 6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns about to the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to his circuits.

1 : 7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from where the rivers come, thither 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 The thing that has 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.

1 : 10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it has been already of old time, which was before us.

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.

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 heaven: this sore travail has God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

1 : 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

1 : 15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

1 : 16 I communed with my own heart, saying, See, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yes, my heart had great experience of 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 vexation of spirit.

1 : 18 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.