Geneva1599 - Ecclesiastes - 1

1:1  The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.

1:2  Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.

1:3  What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?

1:4  One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.

1:5  The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.

1:6  The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.

1:7  All the riuers goe into the sea, yet the sea is not full: for the riuers goe vnto ye place, whence they returne, and goe.

1:8  All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.

1:9  What is it that hath bene? that that shalbe: and what is it that hath bene done? that which shalbe done: and there is no newe thing vnder the sunne.

1:10  Is there any thing, whereof one may say, Beholde this, it is newe? it hath bene already in the olde time that was before vs.

1:11  There is no memorie of the former, neither shall there be a remembrance of the latter that shalbe, with them that shall come after.

1:12  I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:

1:13  And I haue giuen mine heart to search and finde out wisdome by all things that are done vnder the heauen: (this sore trauaile hath GOD giuen to the sonnes of men, to humble them thereby)

1:14  I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.

1:15  That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.

1:16  I thought in mine heart, and said, Behold, I am become great, and excell in wisdome all them that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine heart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge.

1:17  And I gaue mine heart to knowe wisdome and knowledge, madnes and foolishnes: I knew also that this is a vexation of the spirit.

1:18  For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.