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The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
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"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."
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What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?
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One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever.
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The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose.
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The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit.
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All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again.
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All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.
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That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.
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Is there anything of which it may be said, "See, this is new"? It has already been in ancient times before us.
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There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after.
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I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
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And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be exercised.