JPS - Ecclesiastes - 1

1:1  THE WORDS OF the Koheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

1:2  Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

1:3  What profit hath man of all his labour wherein he laboureth under the sun?

1:4  One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; and the earth abideth for ever.

1:5  The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he ariseth.

1:6  The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its circuit, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.

1:7  All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again.

1:8  All things toil to weariness; man cannot utter it, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

1:9  That which hath been is that which shall be, and that which hath been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.

1:10  Is there a thing whereof it is said: 'See, this is new'? --it hath been already, in the ages which were before us.

1:11  There is no remembrance of them of former times; neither shall there be any remembrance of them of latter times that are to come, among those that shall come after.

1:12  I Koheleth have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

1:13  And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven; it is a sore task that G-d hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

1:14  I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

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

1:16  I spoke with my own heart, saying: 'Lo, I have gotten great wisdom, more also than all that were before me over Jerusalem'; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

1:17  And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly--I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.

1:18  For in much wisdom is much vexation; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.