Everything Is Futile

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

2“Vapor† of vapors,”

says Qoheleth,

“Vapor of vapors—

the whole of it is vapor!”

3What profit is unto the man from all his toil,

with which he toils under the sun?

4A generation is going and a generation is coming,

and the earth is standing forever.

5And the sun has risen, and the sun has gone in,

and to its place, panting, it is rising there.

6Going toward the south,

and turning about to the north—

turning about, turning about—the wind is going about,

and on its round the wind is returning.

7All the rivers are going to the sea,

and the sea it has no filling;

to the place from which the rivers come,

there they are turning back to go.

8All the things are wearisome—

a man is not able to speak;

the eye is not satisfied from seeing,

and the ear is not filled from hearing.

9What has been, it will be;

and what has been done, it will be done;

and nothing at all is new under the sun.

10Is there anything of which one may say,

“See this? It is new!”

Already it has been

in the ages that were from before our faces.

11There is no remembrance of the former things,

and of the latter things that will come to be,

there will be no remembrance of them

with those who come to be after them.

With Wisdom Comes Sorrow

12I, Qoheleth, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13And I gave my heart to search and spy out by wisdom, concerning all that is done under the heavens. This burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, to be occupied with it!

14I have seen all the deeds that are done under the sun, and indeed, all is vapor and striving after the wind.

15What is crooked is not able to be straightened,

and what is lacking is not able to be counted.

16I spoke with my heart, saying, “Behold, I have become great, and I have added wisdom over all who were before me in Jerusalem, and my heart has seen great wisdom and knowledge.”

17And I set my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly; I have known that this also—it is a striving after the wind.

18For with an abundance of wisdom is much grief,

and he who adds to knowledge adds to sorrow.