{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/web/ecclesiastes/1","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-06-10T00:40:00.408Z"},"reference":{"translation":"WEB","book":"Ecclesiastes","bookSlug":"ecclesiastes","chapter":1,"testament":"OLD"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":null,"nextChapter":2,"totalChapters":12,"totalVerses":18},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:"},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"|Vanity of vanities,| says the Preacher; |Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.|"},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?"},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"One generation goes, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever."},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises."},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses."},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again."},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"All things are full of weariness beyond uttering. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing."},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun."},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"Is there a thing of which it may be said, |Behold, this is new?| It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us."},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"There is no memory of the former; neither shall there be any memory of the latter that are to come, among those that shall come after."},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem."},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the sky. It is a heavy burden that God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with."},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind."},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be counted."},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"I said to myself, |Behold, I have obtained for myself great wisdom above all who were before me in Jerusalem. Yes, my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.|"},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also was a chasing after wind."},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow."}],"citation":{"inline":"Ecclesiastes 1 (WEB)","markdown":"[Ecclesiastes 1](https://primebible.com/web/ecclesiastes/1)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* WEB. https://primebible.com/web/ecclesiastes/1 (accessed 2026-06-10)."}}