[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 advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun? [4] A generation goes and a generation comes, But the earth remains forever. [5] Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; And hastening to its place it rises there again. [6] Blowing toward the south, Then turning toward the north, The wind continues swirling along; And on its circular courses the wind returns. [7] All the rivers flow into the sea, Yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, There they flow again. [8] All things are wearisome; Man is not able to tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing. [9] That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. [10] Is there anything of which one might say, "See this, it is new"? Already it has existed for ages Which were before us. [11] There is no remembrance of earlier things; And also of the later things which will occur, There will be for them no remembrance Among those who will come later still. [12] I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. [13] And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. [14] I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. [15] What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is lacking cannot be counted. [16] I said to myself, "Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge." [17] And I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after wind. [18] Because in much wisdom there is much grief, and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.
