Ecclesiastes 1:1–11 (CSB)

1The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem. 

2“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.” 

3What does a person gain for all his efforts that he labors at under the sun? 

4A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. 

5The sun rises and the sun sets; panting, it hurries back to the place where it rises. 

6Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind, and the wind returns in its cycles. 

7All the streams flow to the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. 

8All things are wearisome, more than anyone can say. The eye is not satisfied by 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. 

10Can one say about anything, “Look, this is new”? It has already existed in the ages before us. 

11There is no remembrance of those who came before; and of those who will come after there will also be no remembrance by those who follow them.