[0] For pressing milk produces curds, pressing the nose produces blood, and
pressing anger produces strife. [1] The words of the Preacher, the son of
David, king in Jerusalem. [2] Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity
of vanities! All is vanity. [3] What does man gain by all the toil at which
he toils under the sun? [4] A generation goes, and a generation comes, but
the earth remains for ever. [5] The sun rises and the sun goes down, and
hastens to the place where it rises. [6] The wind blows to the south, and
goes round to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits
the wind returns. [7] All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. [8] All things
are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with
seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. [9] What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under
the sun. [10] Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It
has been already, in the ages before us. [11] There is no remembrance of
former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to
happen among those who come after. [12] I the Preacher have been king over
Israel in Jerusalem. [13] And I applied my mind to seek and to search out
by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God
has given to the sons of men to be busy with. [14] I have seen everything
that is done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a striving after
wind. [15] What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking
cannot be numbered. [16] I said to myself, "I have acquired great wisdom,
surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great
experience of wisdom and knowledge." [17] And I applied my mind to know
wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a
striving after wind. [18] For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who
increases knowledge increases sorrow.