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The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
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What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
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One generation passeth away, and another generationcometh: but the earthabideth for ever.
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The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
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The windgoeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth aboutcontinually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
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All the riversrun into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the riverscome, thither they returnagain.
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All things are full of labour; mancannotutter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the earfilled with hearing.
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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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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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There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall comeafter.
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I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
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And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this soretravail hath Godgiven to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
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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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That which is crookedcannot be made straight: and that which is wantingcannot be numbered.
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I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to greatestate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had greatexperience of wisdom and knowledge.
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And I gave my heart to knowwisdom, and to knowmadness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
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For in muchwisdom is muchgrief: and he that increasethknowledgeincreasethsorrow.