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

2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

3What profit hath a man by all his labor with which he wearieth himself under the sun?

4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; while the earth abideth for ever.

5The sun riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it arose.

6The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about to the north; round and round goeth the wind, and returneth to its circuits.

7All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place whence the rivers come, thither they return.

8All words become weary; man cannot express it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

9The thing that hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is no new thing under the sun.

10Is there any thing of which one may say, “Behold, this is new”? It was long ago, in the times which were before us.

11There is no remembrance of former things, and of things that are to come there shall be no remembrance to those who live afterwards.

12I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at Jerusalem.

13And I gave my mind to seek and to search out with wisdom concerning all things which are done under heaven; an evil business, which God hath given to the sons of men, in which to employ themselves.

14I saw all the things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was all vanity, and striving after wind.

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

16I communed with my heart, saying, “Behold, I have gained more and greater wisdom than all who have been before me at Jerusalem; yea, my mind hath seen much wisdom and knowledge.”

17And I gave my mind to know wisdom, and to know senselessness and folly; I perceived that this also is striving after wind.

18For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.