1. The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all {cf15I is} vanity.
3. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
4. {cf15I One} generation passeth away, and {cf15I 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 {cf15I is} not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
8. All things {cf15I are} full of labour; man cannot utter {cf15I it}: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
9. The thing that hath been, it {cf15I is that} which shall be; and that which is done {cf15I is} that which shall be done: and {cf15I there is} no new {cf15I thing} under the sun.
10. Is there {cf15I any} thing whereof it may be said, See, this {cf15I is} new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
11. {cf15I There is} no remembrance of former {cf15I things}; neither shall there be {cf15I any} remembrance of {cf15I things} that are to come with {cf15I 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 {cf15I 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 {cf15I is} vanity and vexation of spirit.
15. {cf15I 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 {cf15I 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 {cf15I is} much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.