The Futility of All Endeavors

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

“Futility of futilities,” says the Preacher, “Futility of futilities! All is futility.”

What advantage does a person have in all his work Which he does under the sun?

All the rivers flow into the sea, Yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, There they flow again.

All things are wearisome; No one can tell it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing.

I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is futility and striving after wind.

I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased wisdom more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”

I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees;

I bought male and female slaves, and I had slaves born at home. I also possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem.

Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me.

All that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. I did not restrain my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor; and this was my reward for all my labor.

So I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold, all was futility and striving after wind, and there was no benefit under the sun.

The Futility of Labor

So I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.

And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is futility.

Therefore I completely despaired over all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun.

For what does a person get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun?

Because all his days his activity is painful and irritating; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is futility.

moreover, that every person who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—this is the gift of God.

For the fate of the sons of mankind and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath, and there is no advantage for mankind over animals, for all is futility.

All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.

The Evils of Oppression

Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold, I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and power was on the side of their oppressors, but they had no one to comfort them.

There was a man without a dependent, having neither a son nor a brother, yet there was no end to all his labor. Indeed, his eyes were not satisfied with riches, and he never asked, “And for whom do I labor and deprive myself of pleasure?” This too is futility, and it is an unhappy task.

I have seen all those living under the sun move to the side of the second youth who replaces him.

There is no end to all the people, to all who were before them. Even the ones who will come later will not be happy with him; for this too is futility and striving after wind.

After all, a king who cultivates the field is beneficial to the land.