Part 1

This eBook was produced by David Widger with the help of Derek Andrew's text from January 1992 and the work of Bryan Taylor in November 2002.

Book 21 Ecclesiastes

21:001:001 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

21:001:002 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

21:001:003 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

21:001:004 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

21:001:005 The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

21:001:006 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.

21:001:007 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.

21:001:008 All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

21:001:009 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.

21:001:010 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

21:001:011 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.

21:001:012 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

21:001:013 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

21:001:014 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

21:001:015 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

21:001:016 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

21:001:017 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

21:001:018 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

21:002:001 I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity.

21:002:002 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

21:002:003 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.

21:002:004 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:

21:002:005 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits:

21:002:006 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees:

21:002:007 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

21:002:008 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts.