Ecclesiastes 1: 1, 2, 17, 18, and 2:13, 15 (The Futility of Wisdom)

1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. 2 "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher. 9 That which has been is what which will be, and that which has been don is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. 17 I set my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly; I realized that this also is striving after the wind. 18 Because in much wisdom there is much grief and increasing knowledge results in increasing pain. 13 And I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. 15 Then I said to myself, "As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me. Whey then have I been extremely wise?"So I said to myself, This too is vanity."

Solomon, who is the Preacher is making certain observations. The two main distinctions that will come to bear is that our temporal life is just that. It is only temporary. In the final analysis, our eternal life will make our temporal life seem as only a day! So the driving question is, why should we strive after things that cannot last? He concludes that life this side of heaven is futile.
The second distinction is that he compares wisdom and knowledge in this life verses the wisdom and knowledge of God. He concludes that our own human wisdom is a farce and one would do better to purge this kind of knowledge for reliance on God alone, since he hold all the cards to our life now and our life to come.

Daily Prayer: Father, it is true that our life now is but a preview of things to come. It seems that faith and not knowledge will be most pleasing to you. By faith I am saved by grace. This is a gift from you and now of man so that I may not boast, except in the cross of Jesus Christ. Amen.