Ecclesiastes 1:5-16

⁵The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.

⁶The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.

⁷All the riuers goe into the sea, yet the sea is not full: for the riuers goe vnto ye place, whence they returne, and goe.

⁸All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.

⁹What is it that hath bene? that that shalbe: and what is it that hath bene done? that which shalbe done: and there is no newe thing vnder the sunne.

¹⁰Is there any thing, whereof one may say, Beholde this, it is newe? it hath bene already in the olde time that was before vs.

¹¹There is no memorie of the former, neither shall there be a remembrance of the latter that shalbe, with them that shall come after.

¹²I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:

¹³And I haue giuen mine heart to search and finde out wisdome by all things that are done vnder the heauen: (this sore trauaile hath GOD giuen to the sonnes of men, to humble them thereby)

¹⁴I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.

¹⁵That which is crooked, can none make straight: and that which faileth, cannot be nombred.

¹⁶I thought in mine heart, and said, Behold, I am become great, and excell in wisdome all them that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine heart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge.