The Vanity of Life

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, aking in Jerusalem.

2 “Vanity b 1of vanities,” says the Preacher;

“Vanity of vanities, call is vanity.”

3 dWhat profit has a man from all his labor

In which he 2toils under the sun?

4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes;

eBut the earth abides forever.

5 fThe sun also rises, and the sun goes down,

And 3hastens to the place where it arose.

6 gThe wind goes toward the south,

And turns around to the north;

The wind whirls about continually,

And comes again on its circuit.

7 hAll the rivers run into the sea,

Yet the sea is not full;

To the place from which the rivers come,

There they return again.

8 All things are 4full of labor;

Man cannot express it.

iThe eye is not satisfied with seeing,

Nor the ear filled with hearing.

9 jThat which has been is what will be,

That which is done is what will be done,

And there is nothing new under the sun.

10 Is there anything of which it may be said,

“See, this is new”?

It has already been in ancient times before us.

11 There is kno remembrance of former things,

Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come

By those who will come after.

The Grief of Wisdom

12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I set my heart to seek and lsearch out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; mthis burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be 5exercised. 14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

15 nWhat is crooked cannot be made straight,

And what is lacking cannot be numbered.

16 I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained omore wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has 6understood great wisdom and knowledge.” 17 pAnd I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.

18 For qin much wisdom is much grief,

And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.