Translations
Modern
The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course.
Traditional
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
Literal
Going toward the south, and turning about to the north—turning about, turning about—the wind is going about, and on its round the wind is returning.
Latin
…gyrat per meridiem, et flectitur ad aquilonem. Lustrans universa in circuitu pergit spiritus, et in circulos suos revertitur.
Original
Hebrew
English
The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course.
Notes
The Teacher starts by noting that every natural and historical activity has a repetitive cycle of coming and going, existing and not existing. This can cause some to feel that everything is meaningless. The Teacher quickly shifts from one topic to another and ends this section with the topic he began with, using a literary style that reflects the cycles he describes in nature and human history.
Glossary
Topics
Covetousness: General Scriptures Concerning Meteorology and Celestial Phenomena: General Scriptures Concerning The Ocean The Wind: Variable Nature of