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Ecclesiastes

Reflections of a Royal Philosopher

1The words of the Teacher,^* the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
² Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher,^*
   vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
³ What do people gain from all the toil
   at which they toil under the sun?
⁴ A generation goes, and a generation comes,
   but the earth remains for ever.
⁵ The sun rises and the sun goes down,
   and hurries to the place where it rises.
⁶ The wind blows to the south,
   and goes round to the north;
round and round goes the wind,
   and on its circuits the wind returns.
⁷ All streams run to the sea,
   but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
   there they continue to flow.
⁸ All things^* are wearisome;
   more than one can express;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
   or the ear filled with hearing.
⁹ What has been is what will be,
   and what has been done is what will be done;
   there is nothing new under the sun.
¹⁰ Is there a thing of which it is said,
   ‘See, this is new’?
It has already been,
   in the ages before us.
¹¹ The people of long ago are not remembered,
   nor will there be any remembrance
of people yet to come
   by those who come after them.

The Futility of Seeking Wisdom

12 I, the Teacher,^* when king over Israel in Jerusalem,