Jubilee2000 - Ecclesiastes - 1

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

1:2  Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all [is] vanity.

1:3  What profit does a man have of all his labour which he takes under the sun?

1:4  [One] generation passes away, and [another] generation comes, but the earth abides for ever.

1:5  The sun arises, and the sun goes down, and with desire returns to his place from which he arises again.

1:6  The wind goes toward the south and turns about unto the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according to its circuits.

1:7  All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea [is] not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, there they return again.

1:8  All things [are] full of labour; more [than] man can express; the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing.

1:9  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.

1:10  Is there [any] thing of which it may be said, See, this [is] new? it has been already of old time which was before us.

1:11  [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.

1:12  I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

1:13  And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all [things] that are done under heaven (this sore travail God has given to the sons of man that they be occupied in it).

1:14  I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

1:15  [That which is] crooked cannot be made straight, and that which is lacking cannot be numbered.

1:16  I communed with my own heart, saying, Behold, I am come to great estate and have gotten more wisdom than all [those] that have been before me in Jerusalem; and my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

1:17  And I gave my heart to know wisdom and knowledge and to know folly and [those who are] mad; I learned [in the end] that this also is vexation of spirit.

1:18  For in much wisdom [is] much grief, and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.: