Words of the Preacher Regarding Vanity
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David [beloved], king in Yerushalayim [Foundation of Peace].
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity.
3 What profit has a man of all his labour which he takes under the sun?
4 [One] generation passes away, and [another] generation comes: but the earth abides forever.
5 The sun also arises, and the sun goes down, and hastes to his place where he arose.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns about unto the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to his circuits.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea [is] not full; unto the place from what place the rivers come, there 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 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.
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.
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.
Vanity of Striving After Wisdom
12 I the Preacher was king over Yisra’el [He Holds Onto The Heel Of God] in Yerushalayim [Foundation of Peace].
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-Elōhīm (The Living Word) [The Many Powered] given to the sons of man to be exercised with that.
14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all [is] vanity and anguish of spirit.
15 [That which is] crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
16 I communed with my own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all [they] that have been before me in Yerushalayim [Foundation of Peace]: yes, 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 anguish of spirit.
18 For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.