The Futility Of All Endeavors

[1] The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. [2] Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. [3] What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? [4] One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. [5] The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose. [6] The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. [7] All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. [8] All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. [9] The 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 already of old time, which was before us. [11] There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun?

Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

• Happiness

I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee.