1:5 The sun rises 1 and the sun sets; 2
it hurries away 3 to a place from which it rises 4 again. 5
1:6 The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north;
round and round 6 the wind goes and on its rounds it returns. 7
1:7 All the streams flow 8 into the sea, but the sea is not full,
and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again. 9
1:8 All this 10 monotony 11 is tiresome; no one can bear 12 to describe it: 13
The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever content 14 with hearing.
1:9 What exists now 15 is what will be, 16
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing truly new on earth. 17
1:10 Is there anything about which someone can say, “Look at this! It is new!”? 18
It was already 19 done long ago, 20 before our time. 21
1:11 No one remembers the former events, 22
nor will anyone remember 23 the events that are yet to happen; 24
they will not be remembered by the future generations. 25
1:12 I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 26
1:13 I decided 27 to carefully 28 and thoroughly examine 29
all that has been accomplished on earth. 30
I concluded: 31 God has given people 32 a burdensome task 33
that keeps them 34 occupied. 35
1:14 I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man 36 on earth, 37
and I concluded: Everything 38 he has accomplished 39 is futile 40 – like chasing the wind! 41
1:15 What is bent 42 cannot be straightened, 43
and what is missing 44 cannot be supplied. 45
1:16 I thought to myself, 46
“I have become much wiser 47 than any of my predecessors who ruled 48 over Jerusalem; 49
I 50 have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.” 51
1:17 So I decided 52 to discern the benefit of 53 wisdom and knowledge over 54 foolish behavior and ideas; 55
however, I concluded 56 that even 57 this endeavor 58 is like 59 trying to chase the wind! 60
1:18 For with great wisdom comes 61 great frustration;
whoever increases his 62 knowledge merely 63 increases his 64 heartache.