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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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