The Bible, King James version, Book 21: Ecclesiastes

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.

21:002:009 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before
           me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.

21:002:010 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I
           withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in
           all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

21:002:011 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.

21:002:012 And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly:
           for what can the man do that cometh after the king? even that
           which hath been already done.

21:002:013 Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light
           excelleth darkness.

21:002:014 The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in
           darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth
           to them all.

21:002:015 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it
           happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise?