Ecclesiastes 1:1–2:16

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 man of all his labour wherewith he laboureth under the sun?

4  One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh, but the earth standeth for ever. 5  The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to its place where it ariseth. 6  The wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about towards the north: it turneth about continually, and the wind returneth again to its circuits. 7  All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full: unto the place whither the rivers go, thither they go again. 8  All things are full of toil; none can express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

9  That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which will be done: and there is nothing new under the sun. 10  Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already in the ages which were before us. 11  There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be remembrance of things that are to come with those who shall live afterwards.

12  I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13  And I applied my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: this grievous occupation hath God given to the children of men to weary themselves therewith. 14  I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and pursuit of the wind. 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 become great and have acquired wisdom more than all they that have been before me over Jerusalem; and my heart hath seen much of wisdom and knowledge. 17  And I applied my heart to the knowledge of wisdom, and to the knowledge of madness and folly: I perceived that this also is a striving after the wind. 18  For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

Chapter 2

1  I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is vanity. 2  I said of laughter, Madness! and of mirth, What availeth it? 3  I searched in my heart how to cherish my flesh with wine, while practising my heart with wisdom; and how to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was that good for the children of men which they should do under the heavens all the days of their life. 4  I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards; 5  I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of every kind of fruit; 6  I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood, where the trees are reared. 7  I acquired servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that had been in Jerusalem before me. 8  I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the children of men, a wife and concubines. 9  And I became great, and increased more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10  And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them: I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion from all my labour. 11  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do them; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

12  And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man do that cometh after the king? —that which hath already been done. 13  And I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness. 14  The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself also perceived that one event happeneth to them all. 15  And I said in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool so will it happen even to me; and why was I then so wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity. 16  For there shall be no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; because everything is already forgotten in the days which come. And how dieth the wise even as the fool?