WeBible

1 - Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem:

2 - Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole <FI>is<Fi> vanity.

3 - What advantage <FI>is<Fi> to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun?

4 - A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing.

5 - Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there.

6 - Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned.

7 - All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go.

8 - All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing.

9 - What <FI>is<Fi> that which hath been? it <FI>is<Fi> that which is, and what <FI>is<Fi> that which hath been done? it <FI>is<Fi> that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.

10 - There is a thing of which <FI>one<Fi> saith: `See this, it <FI>is<Fi> new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!

11 - There is not a remembrance of former <FI>generations<Fi> ; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last.

12 - I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 - And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It <FI>is<Fi> a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.

14 - I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole <FI>is<Fi> vanity and vexation of spirit!

15 - A crooked thing <FI>one<Fi> is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.

16 - I--I spake with my heart, saying, `I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.

17 - And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this <FI>is<Fi> vexation of spirit;

18 - for, in abundance of wisdom <FI>is<Fi> abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'