2: Existential Crisis (1:1-11)

1:1-3 — The Premise: Everything is pointless!

¹The words of the Sage, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:

²“Utterly pointless!” says the Sage;

“Utterly pointless! Everything is pointless.”

³What does a man gain from all his toil

at which he toils under the sun?

5 Meanings of hevel

1. 1. Lit. “breath” / “breeze” / “vapor”
   2. Fig. “temporary” / “fleeting” / “non-lasting”
   3. “futile” / “worthless” / “meaningless” / “pointless”
   4. “beyond grasp” / “incomprehensible” / “outside of control”
   5. “absurd” / “counter-rational” / “against reason”

1:4-7 — The Proof: Circularity in nature and human experience

⁴A generation goes, and another generation comes,

but the earth remains forever.

⁵The sun also rises and the sun sets,

and panting, returns to its place where it rises.

⁶Going toward the south,

and circling to the north—

circling, circling is the wind,

and on its own circuits the wind returns.

⁷All the streams go into the sea,

yet the sea is not full.

To the place from which the streams flow,

they return to flow again.

1:8-11 — The Problem: It’s all the same

⁸All things are full of weariness;

a person cannot express it.

The eye is not satisfied with seeing,

nor is the ear filled with hearing.

⁹What has been is what will be,

and what has been done is what will be done,

and there is nothing new under the sun.

¹⁰There is a thing about which one might say,

“Look, this is new!”

But it already was in ages ago that came before us.

¹¹There is no recollection of the former things,

and also there will be no recollection of those things that are still to come

by those who will come after them.

Beginning the Quest (1:12-18)

1:12-13 — Desire & Outlook

¹²I, the Sage, was king over Israel in Jerusalem. ¹³And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens. It is a burdensome business that God has given to the sons of men to be busied with.

1:14-15 — Diagnosis

¹⁴I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, everything is pointless and herding the wind. ¹⁵What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.

1:16-18 — Despair

¹⁶I said to myself, “Behold, I have magnified and increased in wisdom above all who were over Jerusalem before me. Yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.” ¹⁷I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and foolishness. I perceived that this also was herding the wind. ¹⁸For in much wisdom is much frustration, and he who increases knowledge increases pain.