Ecclesiastes 1

The Futility of All Endeavor

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

2 "tVanity of vanities," says the Preacher,
"Vanity of vanities! All is vanity."

3 What advantage does man have in all his work
Which he does under the sun?

4 A generation goes and a generation comes,
But the earth remains forever.

5 Also, the sun rises and the sun sets;
And hastening to its place it rises there again.

6 Blowing toward the south,
Then turning toward the north,
The wind continues swirling along;
And on its circular courses the wind returns.

7 All the rivers flow into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full.
To the place where the rivers flow,
There they flow again.

8 All things are wearisome;
Man is not able to tell it.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor is the ear filled with hearing.

9 That which has been is that which will be,
And that which has been done is that which will be done.
So there is nothing new under the sun.

10 Is there anything of which one might say,
"See this, it is new"?
Already it has existed for ages
Which were before us.

11 There is no remembrance of earlier things;
And also of the later things which will occur,
There will be for them no remembrance
Among those who will come later still.

The Futility of Wisdom

12 I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.13 And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind.15 What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted.

16 I said to myself, "Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge."17 And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind.18 Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.

Ecclesiastes 1

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity.3 What profit hath man of all his labor wherein he laboreth under the sun?4 One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever.5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth.6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it turneth about continually in its course, and the wind returneth again to its circuits.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.8 All things are full of weariness; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.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 no new thing under the sun.10 Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us.11 There is no remembrance of the former generations; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter generations that are to come, among those that shall come after.12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.15 That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.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.18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.