2Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity (meaningless). 3What do people gain from the labor at which they toil under the sun? 4One generation passes away, and another generation comes; but the earth remains forever. 5The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries back to its place where it arose. 6The wind blows to the south, and turns to the north; it whirls around continually, blowing in circles. 7All the rivers flow into the sea; yet the sea is not full. To the place from which the rivers come, there they return. 8All things are wearisome, beyond description. The eye is never satisfied with what it sees, nor the ear with what it hears. 9What has been is what shall be again; and what has been done shall be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun. 10Is there anything of which it may be said, “Look, this is new”? It was here already long ago, before our time. 11No one remembers the prior generations; nor shall those that come after remember the things that are yet to come.

12I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13And I devoted myself to study and to understand by wisdom all things that are done under heaven. What a burdensome task God has given to mankind to deal with! 14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun and, behold, all is vanity and meaningless – like chasing the wind. 15What is crooked cannot be straightened; and what is missing cannot be recovered. 16I said to myself, “Look, I have gained more wisdom than all those who ruled over Jerusalem before me; yes, I have attained much wisdom and knowledge”. 17And I applied myself to understand wisdom, as well as madness and folly; but I perceived that this also is like chasing the wind. 18For the more wisdom, the more grief; and more knowledge brings more sorrow.