Study Desk

I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom about everything that has been done under heaven. It is a sorry task with which God has given the sons of mankind to be troubled.

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.

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is futility and striving after wind.

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

What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

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

I said to myself, "Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge."

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.

And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know insanity and foolishness; I realized that this also is striving after wind.

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

Because in much wisdom there is much grief; and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain.

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