1: The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in
Jerusalem. |
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2: Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities;
all is vanity. |
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3:
What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under
the sun? |
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4: One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh:
but the earth abideth for ever. |
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5: The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to
his place where he arose. |
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6: 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. |
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7: All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto
the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again. |
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8: All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is
not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. |
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9: The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that
which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing
under the sun. |
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10: Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new?
it hath been already of old time, which was before us. |
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11: There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there
be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come
after. |
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12: I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
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13: And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom
concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath
God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. |
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14: I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and,
behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. |
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15: That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which
is wanting cannot be numbered. |
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16: I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to
great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been
before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and
knowledge. |
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17: And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and
folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. |
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18: For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth
knowledge increaseth sorrow. |