---
title: Joseph Smith Translation (1867 edition)
description: Ecclesiastes from the Joseph Smith Translation (JST), 1867 edition.
authors:
  - Smith, Joseph, Jr.
collections:
  - joseph-smith
tags:
  - translation
published: "1867"
publisher: RLDS Publication Board
publisher_place: Plano, Illinois
publisher_note: "The title page reads: Published by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; Joseph Smith, I. L. Rogers, E. Robinson, Publishing Committee; 1867."
edition: First edition (Plano, 1867)
language: en
type: book
chapter: 1
verse_count: 18
reference: "Joseph Smith Jr., *Joseph Smith Translation*, first edition (Plano, IL: RLDS Publication Board, 1867), Ecclesiastes, chap. 1, https://archive.org/details/holyscripturestr00smituoft."
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/holyscripturestr00smituoft
  identifier: holyscripturestr00smituoft
  scan: University of Toronto / Trinity College Library copy, Internet Archive
  transcription: "OCR text of the 1867 scans (Toronto copy and a second copy, holyscriptures00smit), reconciled word by word; Romans was also checked against the page images. Method, per-chapter validation log and known limits: docs/jst-1867-import.md."
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: 1867 US publication
  source: https://archive.org/details/holyscripturestr00smituoft
  publication_year: 1867
---

# Ecclesiastes 1

*TJte vanity of worldly things.*

**1** The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
**2** Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
**3** What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
**4** One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever.
**5** The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
**6** 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.
**7** 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.
**8** All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
**9** 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.
**10** Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
**11** 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.
**12** I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
**13** 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.
**14** I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
**15** That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
**16** 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.
**17** And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly; I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
**18** For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.