11 The words of the Preacher , the son of David , king in Jerusalem . 2 "[1] Vanity of vanities ," says the Preacher , "[1]Vanity of vanities ! All is [3]vanity ." 3 What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun ?
4 A generation goes and a generation comes , But the earth [4]remains forever . 5 Also, the sun rises and the sun sets ; And [5]hastening to its place it rises there again. 6 [6] Blowing toward the south , Then turning toward the north , The wind continues [7]swirling along ; And on its circular courses the wind returns . 7 All the rivers [8]flow into the sea , Yet the sea is not full . To the place where the rivers [8]flow , There they [8]flow again . 8 All things are wearisome ; Man is not able to tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing , Nor is the ear filled with hearing .
9 That which e has been is that which will be, And that which e has been done is that which will be done . So there is nothing e new under the sun . 10 Is there anything of which one might say , "See this , it is new "? Already it has existed for ages Which were before e us. 11 There is no remembrance of [11]earlier things ; And also of the [12]later things which will occur , There will be for them no remembrance Among those who will come [12]later still.
12 I, the Preacher , have been king over Israel in Jerusalem . 13 And I set my [14]mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven . It is [15]a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. 14 I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun , and behold , all is [16] vanity and striving after wind . 15 What is crooked cannot e be straightened and what is lacking cannot e be counted . 16 I [17]said to myself , "Behold , I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my [18]mind has observed [19]a wealth of wisdom and knowledge ." 17 And I set my [20]mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly ; I realized that this also is striving after wind . 18 Because in much wisdom there is much grief , and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain .
