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 from all his labor which he doeth 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 hasteneth 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 labor; 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 in olden times which were before us.

¹¹ There is no remembrance of former things, neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come by 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 have 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 in wisdom and knowledge.”

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

¹⁸ For in much wisdom is much grief, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

⁸ “Vanity of vanities,” saith the Preacher. “All is vanity.”

⁹ And moreover because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed and sought out and set in order many proverbs.

¹⁰ The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth!

¹¹ The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the master builders, which are given from one Shepherd.

¹² And further, my son, by these words be admonished: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness to the flesh.

¹³ Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

¹⁴ For God shall bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.