Words of the Preacher Regarding Vanity
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! all [is] vanity.
3 What [is] the profit to a man in all his labor which he labors under the sun?
4 A generation passes away, and a generation comes; but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun also arises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it arose.
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.
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.
8 All things [are] full of labor; man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
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.
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.
11 [There is] no memory of former [things], and also no memory] of after [things] which shall be; for neither shall be a remembrance of them with those who will be at the afterwards.
Vanity of Striving After Wisdom
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 which is done under the heavens. [It is] a sad task God has given to the sons of men to be humbled by it.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
15 What [is] crooked cannot be made straight; and [that] lacking cannot be numbered.
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 seen much of wisdom and knowledge.
17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I know that this also [is] vexation of spirit.
18 For in much wisdom [is] much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.