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[1]The words of the preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
[2]Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
[3]What profit hath a man of all his labor, which he taketh under the sun?
[4]One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.
[5]The sun also riseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
[6]The wind goeth towards the south, and turneth about to the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to its circuits.
[7]All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; to the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.
[8]All things are full of labor; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
[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.
[10]Is there any thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
[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.
[12]I the preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
[13]And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this grievous labor hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised with it.
[14]I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.
[15]That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
[16]I communed with my own heart, saying, Lo, I have come to great estate, and have gained more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: and my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
[17]And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
[18]For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
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