What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.

Is there anything about which someone can say, "Look at this! It is new!"? It was already done long ago, before our time.

Next, I decided to consider wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas. For what more can the king's successor do than what the king has already done?

A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

But better than both is the one who has not been born and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth.

Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless -- like chasing the wind.

For if they fall, one will help his companion up, but pity the person who falls down and has no one to help him up.

Furthermore, if two lie down together, they can keep each other warm, but how can one person keep warm by himself?

Wisdom gives a wise person more protection than ten rulers in a city.

Not only that, but I have seen the wicked approaching and entering the temple, and as they left the holy temple, they boasted in the city that they had done so. This also is an enigma.

then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.