[1] The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem: [2] "Futile! Futile!" laments the Teacher. "Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!" [3] What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth? [4] A generation comes and a generation goes, but the earth remains the same through the ages. [5] The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again. [6] The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north; round and round the wind goes and on its rounds it returns. [7] All the streams flow into the sea, but the sea is not full, and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again. [8] All this monotony is tiresome; no one can bear to describe it. The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever content with hearing. [9] What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth. [10] Is there anything about which someone can say, "Look at this! It is new"? It was already done long ago, before our time. [11] No one remembers the former events, nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen; they will not be remembered by the future generations. [12] I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. [13] I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied. [14] I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile-like chasing the wind! [15] What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is missing cannot be supplied. [16] I thought to myself, "I have become much wiser than any of my predecessors who ruled over Jerusalem; I have acquired much wisdom and knowledge." [17] So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind. [18] For with great wisdom comes great frustration; whoever increases his knowledge merely increases his heartache.
