Ecclesiastes 1:9-18 ▼

9 Whatever has happened, will happen again; whatever has been done, will be done again. There is nothing new on earth.

10 Does anything exist about which someone might say, |Look at this! Is this new?| It happened ages ago; it existed before we did.

11 No one remembers those in the past, nor will they be remembered by those who come after them.

12 I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

13 I dedicated myself to using wisdom for study and discovery of everything that is done under heaven. God uses terrible things so human beings will struggle with life.

14 I observed every activity done on earth. My conclusion: all of it is pointless—like chasing after the wind.

15 What is crooked cannot be made straight; what is not there cannot be counted.

16 I told myself, |I have become greater and wiser than anyone who ruled before me in Jerusalem—yes, I have acquired a great deal of wisdom and knowledge.|

17 So I dedicated myself to learn about wisdom and knowledge, and about insanity and foolishness. And I discovered that this is also like chasing after the wind.

18 For with much wisdom there is much sorrow; the more someone adds to knowledge, the more someone adds to grief.