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

15What is crooked cannot be made straight,
    and what is lacking cannot be counted.

18For in much wisdom is much vexation,
and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.