1 *The words of the aPreacher, the son of David, bking in Jerusalem.

2 cVanity of vanities, saith the aPreacher, cvanity of vanities; dall is evanity. 3 fWhat profit hath a man gof all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

4 hOne generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but ithe earth abideth for ever. 5 kThe sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and †hasteth to his place where he arose. 6 lThe wind goeth toward mthe south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. 7 nAll the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place ofrom whence the rivers come, thither they †return again. 8 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: pthe eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. 9 qThe 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 ralready of old time, which was before us. 11 There is sno remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

12 I the aPreacher was tking over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And uI gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done vunder heaven: wthis sore xtravail 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 eyvanity and yvexation of spirit. 15 zThat which is crooked cannot be made straight: and †that which is wanting cannot be numbered. 16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, aI am come to great estate, and have agotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart †had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. 17 And bI gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know cmadness and dfolly: I perceived that this also is evexation of spirit. 18 For fin much wisdom is much ggrief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth gsorrow.