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¹ The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem.² Vanitie of vanities, sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie.³ What remaineth vnto man in all his trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne?

⁴ One generation passeth, and another generation succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for euer.⁵ The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth.⁶ The winde goeth toward the South, and compasseth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde about, and returneth by his circuites.⁷ All the riuers goe into the sea, yet the sea is not full: for the riuers goe vnto ye place, whence they returne, and goe.⁸ All things are full of labour: man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing.

⁹ What is it that hath bene? that that shalbe: and what is it that hath bene done? that which shalbe done: and there is no newe thing vnder the sunne.¹⁰ Is there any thing, whereof one may say, Beholde this, it is newe? it hath bene already in the olde time that was before vs.¹¹ There is no memorie of the former, neither shall there be a remembrance of the latter that shalbe, with them that shall come after.

¹² I the Preacher haue bene King ouer Israel in Ierusalem:¹³ And I haue giuen mine heart to search and finde out wisdome by all things that are done vnder the heauen: (this sore trauaile hath GOD giuen to the sonnes of men, to humble them thereby)¹⁴ I haue considered all the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit.¹⁵ That which is crooked, can none make straight: and yt which faileth, cannot be nombred.¹⁶ I thought in mine heart, and said, Behold, I am become great, and excell in wisdome all them that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine heart hath seene much wisedome and knowledge.¹⁷ And I gaue mine heart to knowe wisdome and knowledge, madnes and foolishnes: I knew also that this is a vexation of the spirit.¹⁸ For in the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe.