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.