1. The words of the Teacher of the Assembly, David’s son, king in Jerusalem:
2. Perfectly pointless, says the Teacher, perfectly pointless.Everything is pointless.
3. What do people gain from all the hard workthat they work so hard at under the sun?
4. A generation goes, and a generation comes,but the earth remains as it always has.
5. The sun rises, the sun sets;it returns panting to the place where it dawns.
6. The wind blows to the south,goes around to the north;around and around blows the wind;the wind returns to its rounds again.
7. All streams flow to the sea,but the sea is never full;to the place where the rivers flow,there they continue to flow.
8. All words are tiring;no one is able to speak.The eye isn’t satisfied with seeing,neither is the ear filled up by hearing.
9. Whatever has happened—that’s what will happen again;whatever has occurred—that’s what will occur again.There’s nothing new under the sun.
10. People may say about something: "Look at this! It’s new!" But it was already around for ages before us.