Ecclesiastes or, the Preacher
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1 Words of a preacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: 2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, Vanity of vanities: the whole [is] vanity. 3 What advantage [is] to man by all his labour that he laboureth at under the sun? 4 A generation is going, and a generation is coming, and the earth to the age is standing. 5 Also, the sun hath risen, and the sun hath gone in, and unto its place panting it is rising there. 6 Going unto the south, and turning round unto the north, turning round, turning round, the wind is going, and by its circuits the wind hath returned. 7 All the streams are going unto the sea, and the sea is not full; unto a place whither the streams are going, thither they are turning back to go. 8 All these things are wearying; a man is not able to speak, the eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor filled is the ear from hearing. 9 What [is] that which hath been? it [is] that which is, and what [is] that which hath been done? it [is] that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun. 10 There is a thing of which [one] saith: 'See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us! 11 There is not a remembrance of former [generations]; and also of the latter that are, there is no remembrance of them with those that are at the last. 12 I, a preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I have given my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all that hath been done under the heavens. It [is] a sad travail God hath given to the sons of man to be humbled by it. 14 I have seen all the works that have been done under the sun, and lo, the whole [is] vanity and vexation of spirit! 15 A crooked thing [one] is not able to make straight, and a lacking thing is not able to be numbered. 16 I — I spake with my heart, saying, 'I, lo, I have magnified and added wisdom above every one who hath been before me at Jerusalem, and my heart hath seen abundantly wisdom and knowledge. 17 And I give my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I have known that even this [is] vexation of spirit; 18 for, in abundance of wisdom [is] abundance of sadness, and he who addeth knowledge addeth pain.'