2“Vanity[a] of vanities,” says the Preacher;
“Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”

3What profit has a man from all his labor
In which he [b]toils under the sun?
4One generation passes away, and another generation comes;
But the earth abides forever.
5The sun also rises, and the sun goes down,
And [c]hastens to the place where it arose.
6The wind goes toward the south,
And turns around to the north;
The wind whirls about continually,
And comes again on its circuit.
7All the rivers run into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full;
To the place from which the rivers come,
There they return again.
8All things are [d]full of labor;
Man cannot express it.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor the ear filled with hearing.

9That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there anything of which it may be said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been in ancient times before us.
11There is no remembrance of former things,
Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come
By those who will come after.

15What is crooked cannot be made straight,
And what is lacking cannot be numbered.

18For in much wisdom is much grief,
And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.