Ecclesiastes 1

1The words of Qoheleth, son of David, king in Jerusalem.

2Vapor of vapors, says Qoheleth,
vapor of vapors—everything is vapor. 3What gain does a person have from all their labor
in which they labor under the sun? 4A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth stands forever. 5The sun rises, and the sun sets;
it hurries to its place, and there it rises. 6Going toward the south, and turning toward the north,
turning, turning goes the wind;
and upon its circuits the wind returns. 7All the streams go to the sea,
yet the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams go,
there they return to go again. 8All things are weary;
no one can speak of them.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
nor is the ear filled with hearing. 9What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun. 10Is there anything of which one says, “Look—this is new”?
It has already been
in ages before us. 11There is no remembrance of the former ones,
nor will there be remembrance of the later ones to come
among those who come afterward.

12I, Qoheleth, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13I gave my heart to seek and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is a grievous task that God has given to human beings to occupy them.

14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and see: everything is vapor and a chasing after wind.

15What is crooked cannot be made straight, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

16I spoke with my heart, saying, “Look, I have grown great and increased in wisdom beyond all who were before me over Jerusalem, and my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.”

17I gave my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I knew that this too is a pursuit of wind.

18For with much wisdom comes much vexation, and one who increases knowledge increases pain.