UKJV - Ecclesiastes - 1

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

1:2  Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

1:3  What profit has a man 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 also arises, and the sun goes down, and hastes to his place where he arose.

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 his circuits.

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

1:8  All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: 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 whereof 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 has God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

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 mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have got more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

1:17  And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

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