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words of Koheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.


 * Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth;
 * Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.


 * What profit hath man of all his labour
 * Wherein he laboureth under the sun?
 * One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh;
 * And the earth abideth for ever.
 * The sun also ariseth,
 * And the sun goeth down,
 * And hasteth to his place where he ariseth.
 * The wind goeth toward the south,
 * And turneth about unto the north;
 * It turneth about continually in its circuit,
 * And the wind returneth again to its circuits.
 * All the rivers run into the sea,
 * Yet the sea is not full;
 * Unto the place whither the rivers go,
 * Thither they go again.
 * All things toil to weariness;
 * Man cannot utter it,
 * The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
 * Nor the ear filled with hearing.
 * That which hath been is that which shall be,
 * And that which hath been done is that which shall be done;
 * And there is nothing new under the sun.

Is there a thing whereof it is said: 'See, this is new'?—it hath been already, in the ages which were before us. There is no remembrance of them of former times; neither shall there be any remembrance of them of latter times that are to come, among those that shall come after.

I Koheleth have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven; it is a sore task that God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith. I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.


 * That which is crooked cannot be made straight;
 * And that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

I spoke with my own heart, saying: 'Lo, I have gotten great wisdom, more also than all that were before me over Jerusalem'; yea, my heart hath had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly—I perceived that this also was a striving after wind.


 * For in much wisdom is much vexation;
 * And he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

I said in my heart: 'Come now, I will try thee with mirth, and enjoy pleasure'; and, behold, this also was vanity. I said of laughter: 'It is mad'; and of mirth: 'What doth it accomplish?' I searched in my heart