Ecclesiastes 1:11-17

¹¹There is no remembrance of the former generations; neither shall there be any remembrance of the latter generations that are to come, among those that shall come after.

¹²I the Preacher 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 heaven: it is a sore travail that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.

¹⁴I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

¹⁵That which is crooked cannot be made straight; and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

¹⁶I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I have gotten me great wisdom above all that were before me in Jerusalem; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

¹⁷And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.