| 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 does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun? |
| 4 | One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever. |
| 5 | The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises. |
| 6 | The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses. |
| 7 | All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again. |
| 8 | All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. 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 no new thing under the sun. |
| 10 | Is there a thing of which it may be said, 'Behold, this is new?' It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us. |
| 11 | There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after. |
| 12 | I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. |
| 13 | I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. |
| 14 | I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind. |
| 15 | That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be counted. |
| 16 | I said to myself, 'Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.' |
| 17 | I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind. |
| 18 | For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. |