12I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it.
14I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit!
15A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered.
16I -- I spake with my heart, saying, `I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge.
17And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit;
18for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.`
