| Chapter 1 |
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. -
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