1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity. 3What profit has man of all his labor in which he labors under the sun? 4One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever. 5The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises. 6The wind goes toward the south, and turns about to the north; it turns about continually in its course, and the wind returns again to its circuits. 7All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again. 8All things are full of weariness; man can't utter [it]: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 9That which has been is that which will be; and that which has been done is that which will be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. 10Is there a thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us. 11There is no remembrance of the former [generations]; neither will there be any remembrance of the latter [generations] who are to come, among those who will come after. 12I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven: it is an intense travail that God has given to the sons of man to be exercised with. 14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, look, all is vanity and a striving after wind. 15That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is wanting can't be numbered. 16I communed with my own heart, saying, Look, I have gotten myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem; yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. 17And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind. 18For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.