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1. The words of the Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem:
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1. The words H1697 of the Preacher H6953 , the son H1121 of David H1732 , king H4428 in Jerusalem H3389 .
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2. "Futile! Futile!" laments the Teacher, "Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!"
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2. Vanity H1892 of vanities H1892 , saith H559 the Preacher H6953 , vanity H1892 of vanities H1892 ; all H3605 is vanity H1892 .
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3. What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?
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3. What H4100 profit H3504 hath a man H120 of all H3605 his labor H5999 which he taketh H7945 H5998 under H8478 the sun H8121 ?
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4. A generation comes and a generation goes, but the earth remains the same through the ages.
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4. One generation H1755 passeth away H1980 , and another generation H1755 cometh H935 : but the earth H776 abideth H5975 forever H5769 .
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5. The sun rises and the sun sets; it hurries away to a place from which it rises again.
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5. The sun H8121 also ariseth H2224 , and the sun H8121 goeth down H935 , and hasteth H7602 to H413 his place H4725 where H8033 he H1931 arose H2224 .
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6. The wind goes to the south and circles around to the north; round and round the wind goes and on its rounds it returns.
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6. The wind H7307 goeth H1980 toward H413 the south H1864 , and turneth about H5437 unto H413 the north H6828 ; it whirleth about H1980 continually H5437 H5437 , and the wind H7307 returneth again H7725 according H5921 to his circuits H5439 .
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7. All the streams flow into the sea, but the sea is not full, and to the place where the streams flow, there they will flow again.
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7. All H3605 the rivers H5158 run H1980 into H413 the sea H3220 ; yet the sea H3220 is not H369 full H4392 ; unto H413 the place H4725 from whence the rivers H7945 H5158 come H1980 , thither H8033 they H1992 return H7725 again H1980 .
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8. All this monotony is tiresome; no one can bear to describe it: The eye is never satisfied with seeing, nor is the ear ever content with hearing.
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8. All H3605 things H1697 are full of labor H3023 ; man H376 cannot H3201 H3808 utter H1696 it : the eye H5869 is not H3808 satisfied H7646 with seeing H7200 , nor H3808 the ear H241 filled H4390 with hearing H4480 H8085 .
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9. What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.
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9. The thing H4100 that hath been H7945 H1961 , it H1931 is that which shall be H7945 H1961 ; and that H4100 which is done H7945 H6213 is that H1931 which shall be done H7945 H6213 : and there is no H369 H3605 new H2319 thing under H8478 the sun H8121 .
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10. Is there anything about which someone can say, "Look at this! It is new!"? It was already done long ago, before our time.
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10. Is there H3426 any thing H1697 whereof it may be said H7945 H559 , See H7200 , this H2088 is new H2319 ? it H1931 hath been H1961 already H3528 of old time H5769 , which H834 was H1961 before H4480 H6440 us.
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11. No one remembers the former events, nor will anyone remember the events that are yet to happen; they will not be remembered by the future generations.
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11. There is no H369 remembrance H2146 of former H7223 things ; neither H1571 H3808 shall there be H1961 any remembrance H2146 of things that are to come H7945 H1961 with H5973 those that shall come H7945 H1961 after H314 .
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12. I, the Teacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
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12. I H589 the Preacher H6953 was H1961 king H4428 over H5921 Israel H3478 in Jerusalem H3389 .
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13. I decided to carefully and thoroughly examine all that has been accomplished on earth. I concluded: God has given people a burdensome task that keeps them occupied.
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13. And I gave H5414 H853 my heart H3820 to seek H1875 and search out H8446 by wisdom H2451 concerning H5921 all H3605 things that H834 are done H6213 under H8478 heaven H8064 : this H1931 sore H7451 travail H6045 hath God H430 given H5414 to the sons H1121 of man H120 to be exercised H6031 therewith.
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14. I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile� like chasing the wind!
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14. I have seen H7200 H853 all H3605 the works H4639 that are done H7945 H6213 under H8478 the sun H8121 ; and, behold H2009 , all H3605 is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit H7307 .
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15. What is bent cannot be straightened, and what is missing cannot be supplied.
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15. That which is crooked H5791 cannot H3201 H3808 be made straight H8626 : and that which is wanting H2642 cannot H3201 H3808 be numbered H4487 .
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16. I thought to myself, "I have become much wiser than any of my predecessors who ruled over Jerusalem; I have acquired much wisdom and knowledge."
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16. I H589 communed H1696 with H5973 mine own heart H3820 , saying H559 , Lo H2009 , I H589 am come to great estate H1431 , and have gotten more H3254 wisdom H2451 than H5921 all H3605 they that H834 have been H1961 before H6440 me in H5921 Jerusalem H3389 : yea , my heart H3820 had great H7235 experience H7200 of wisdom H2451 and knowledge H1847 .
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17. So I decided to discern the benefit of wisdom and knowledge over foolish behavior and ideas; however, I concluded that even this endeavor is like trying to chase the wind!
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17. And I gave H5414 my heart H3820 to know H3045 wisdom H2451 , and to know H3045 madness H1947 and folly H5531 : I perceived H3045 that this H2088 also H7945 H1571 is vexation H7475 of spirit H7307 .
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18. For with great wisdom comes great frustration; whoever increases his knowledge merely increases his heartache.
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18. For H3588 in much H7230 wisdom H2451 is much H7230 grief H3708 : and he that increaseth H3254 knowledge H1847 increaseth H3254 sorrow H4341 .
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