# Ecclesiastes 1 [[Proverbs 31|←]] • [[Ecclesiastes 2|→]] --- ### 1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. ### 2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all vanity. ### 3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? ### 4 generation passeth away, and generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. ### 5 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. ### 6 The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. ### 7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. ### 8 All things full of labour; man cannot utter the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. ### 9 The thing that hath been, it which shall be; and that which is done that which shall be done: and no new under the sun. ### 10 Is there thing whereof it may be said, See, this new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us. ### 11 no remembrance of former neither shall there be remembrance of that are to come with that shall come after. ### 12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. ### 13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. ### 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all vanity and vexation of spirit. ### 15 crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered. ### 16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. ### 17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. ### 18 For in much wisdom much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.