1. The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
2. Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
3. What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
4. One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
5. The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
6. Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.
7. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.
8. All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing.