This Book is called Ecclesiastes, or The Preacher, (in Hebrew, Coheleth,) because in it, Solomon, as an excellent preacher, setteth forth the vanity of the things of this world: to withdraw the hearts and affections of men from such empty toys.
Ecclesiastes Chapter 1
The vanity of all temporal things.
1:1. The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
1:2. Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes: vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
1:3. What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
1:4. One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
1:5. The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
1:6. Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits.
1:7. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again.