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 a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4 One generation passeth away , and another 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 is not full ; unto the place from whence the rivers come , thither they return again .
8 All things are full of labour ; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing , nor the ear filled with hearing .
9 The thing that hath 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.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said , See, this is new? it hath been already of old time , which was before us.
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 .
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 things 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 is vanity and vexation of spirit .
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 am come to great estate , and have gotten more wisdom than all they 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 is much grief : and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow .