Ecclesiastes Chapter[BR] 1

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

2 Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

3 What is the profit to a man in all his labor which he labors under the sun?

4 A generation passes away, and a generation comes; but the earth remains forever.

Ecclesiastes Chapter[BR] 1

5 The sun also arises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it arose.

6 The wind goes toward the south, and it turns around to the north; it whirls around continually; and the wind returns on its circuits.

7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from where the rivers come, there they return again.

Ecclesiastes Chapter[BR] 1

8 All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

9 That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.

10 Is there a thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has already been in days of old, which were before us.

Ecclesiastes Chapter[BR] 1

11 There is no memory of former things, and also no memory of after things which shall be; for neither shall be a remembrance of them with those who will be at the afterwards.

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 which is done under the heavens. It is a sad task God has given to the sons of men to be humbled by it.

Ecclesiastes Chapter[BR] 1

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

15 What is crooked cannot be made straight; and that lacking cannot be numbered.

16 I spoke within my own heart, saying, Lo, I have become great and have gathered more wisdom than all that have been before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart has seen much of wisdom and knowledge.

Ecclesiastes Chapter[BR] 1

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

18 For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.