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1. These are the words from the Teacher, a son of David and king of 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. Everything is so meaningless. The Teacher says that it is all a waste of time!
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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. Do people really gain anything from all the hard work they do in this life?
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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. People live and people die, but the earth continues forever.
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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 goes down, and then it hurries to rise again in the same place.
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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 blows to the south, and the wind blows to the north. The wind blows around and around. Then it turns and blows back to the place it began.
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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 rivers flow again and again to the same place. They all flow to the sea, but the sea never becomes full.
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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. Words cannot fully explain things, but people continue speaking. Words come again and again to our ears, but our ears don't become full. And our eyes don't become full of what we see.
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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. All things continue the way they have been since the beginning. The same things will be done that have always been done. There is nothing new in this life.
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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. Someone might say, "Look, this is new," but that thing has always been here. It was here before we were.
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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. People don't remember what happened long ago. In the future, they will not remember what is happening now. And later, other people will not remember what the people before them did.
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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, was 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 study and to use my wisdom to learn about everything that is done in this life. I learned that it is a very hard thing that God has given us to do.
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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 looked at everything done on earth, and I saw that it is all a waste of time. It is like trying to catch 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. If something is crooked, you cannot say it is straight. And if something is missing, you cannot say it is there.
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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 said to myself, "I am very wise. I am wiser than all the kings who ruled Jerusalem before me. I know what wisdom and knowledge really are."
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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. I decided to learn how wisdom and knowledge are better than thinking foolish thoughts. But I learned that trying to become wise is like trying to catch 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. With much wisdom comes frustration. The one who gains more wisdom also gains more sorrow.
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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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