Ecclesiastes 1
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1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.1These are the words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
2“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”2“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”
3What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?3What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun?
4One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever.4Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.
5The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose.5The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries back to where it rises.
6The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit.6The wind blows southward, then turns northward; round and round it swirls, ever returning on its course.
7All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again.7All the rivers flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full; to the place from which the streams come, there again they flow.
8All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing.8All things are wearisome, more than one can describe; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear content with hearing.
9That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.9What has been will be again, and what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
10Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.10Is there a case where one can say, “Look, this is new”? It has already existed in the ages before us.
11There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after.11There is no remembrance of those who came before, and those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow after.
12I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.12I, the Teacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
13And 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.13And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven. What a heavy burden God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them!
14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.14I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.
15What is crooked cannot be made straight, And what is lacking cannot be numbered.15What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16I communed with my heart, saying, “Look, I have attained greatness, and have gained more wisdom than all who were before me in Jerusalem. My heart has understood great wisdom and knowledge.”16I said to myself, “Behold, I have grown and increased in wisdom beyond all those before me who were over Jerusalem, and my mind has observed a wealth of wisdom and knowledge.”
17And I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is grasping for the wind.17So I set my mind to know wisdom and madness and folly; I learned that this, too, is a pursuit of the wind.
18For in much wisdom is much grief, And he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.18For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, and as knowledge grows, grief increases.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.
Proverbs 31
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