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1
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I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also vanity. |
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2
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I said of laughter, mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? |
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3
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I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. |
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4
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I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: |
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5
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I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all fruits: |
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6
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I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: |
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7
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I got servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: |
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8
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I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, musical instruments, and that of all sorts. |
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9
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So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. |
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10
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And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. |
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11
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Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all vanity and vexation of spirit, and no profit under the sun. |
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12
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And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what the man that cometh after the king? that which hath been already done. |
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13
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Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth darkness. |
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14
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The wise man's eyes in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. |
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15
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Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also vanity. |
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16
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For no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise ? as the fool. |
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17
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Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun grievous unto me: for all vanity and vexation of spirit. |
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18
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Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me. |
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19
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And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed myself wise under the sun. This also vanity. |
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20
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Therefore I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour which I took under the sun. |
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21
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For there is a man whose labour in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it his portion. This also vanity and a great evil. |
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22
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For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? |
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23
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For all his days sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. |
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24
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# There is nothing better for a man, that he should eat and drink, and he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it from the hand of God. |
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25
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For who can eat, or who else can hasten , more than I? |
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26
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For giveth to a man that good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to good before God. This also vanity and vexation of spirit. |