Page 498 - 1599 Geneva Bible

Ecclesiastes 1:1 493 Ecclesiastes 2:18

2 I saide of laughter, Thou art mad: and of ioy,
What is this that thou doest? 3 I sought in mine
Ecclesiastes or, the Preacher heart to giue my selfe to wine, and to leade mine
heart in wisdome, and to take holde of follie, till I
1 The wordes of the Preacher, the sonne of might see where is that goodnesse of the children
Dauid King in Ierusalem. 2 Vanitie of vanities, of men, which they enioy vnder the sunne: the
sayth the Preacher: vanitie of vanities, all is whole nomber of the dayes of their life. I haue
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vanitie. 3 What remaineth vnto man in all his made my great workes: I haue built me houses:
trauaile, which he suffereth vnder ye sunne? I haue planted me vineyards. 5 I haue made me
4 One generation passeth, and another genera- gardens and orchards, and planted in them trees
tion succeedeth: but the earth remaineth for of all fruite. I haue made me cisternes of water,
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euer. 5 The sunne riseth, and ye sunne goeth to water therewith the woods that growe with
downe, and draweth to his place, where he riseth. trees. 7 I haue gotten seruants and maides, and
6 The winde goeth toward the South, and compas- had children borne in the house: also I had great
seth towarde the North: the winde goeth rounde possession of beeues and sheepe aboue all that
about, and returneth by his circuites. 7 All the were before me in Ierusalem. 8 I haue gathered
riuers goe into the sea, yet the sea is not full: vnto me also siluer and gold, and the chiefe
for the riuers goe vnto ye place, whence they treasures of Kings and prouinces: I haueprouided
returne, and goe. 8 All things are full of labour: me men singers and women singers, and the
man cannot vtter it: the eye is not satisfied with delites of the sonnes of men, as a woman taken
seeing, nor the eare filled with hearing. What is captiue, and women taken captiues. And I was
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it that hath bene? that that shalbe: and what is great, and increased aboue all that were before
it that hath bene done? that which shalbe done: me in Ierusalem: also my wisedome remained
and there is no newe thing vnder the sunne. 10 Is with me. 10 And whatsoeuer mine eyes desired,
there any thing, whereof one may say, Beholde I withheld it not from them: I withdrew not mine
this, it is newe? it hath bene already in the olde heart from any ioy: for mine heart reioyced in
time that was before vs. 11 There is no memorie of al my labour: and this was my portion of all my
the former, neither shall there be a remembrance trauaile. 11 Then I looked on all my workes that
of the latter that shalbe, with them that shall mine hands had wrought, and on the trauaile that
come after. 12 I the Preacher haue bene King
ouer Israel in Ierusalem: 13 And I haue giuen I had laboured to doe: and beholde, all is vanitie
and vexation of the spirit: and there is no profite
mine heart to search and finde out wisdome by all vnder the sunne. 12 And I turned to beholde
things that are done vnder the heauen: (this sore wisedome, and madnes and follie: (for who is
trauaile hath GOD giuen to the sonnes of men, the man that will come after the King in things,
to humble them thereby) 14 I haue considered all which men nowe haue done?) 13 Then I saw that
the workes that are done vnder the sunne, and thereisprofiteinwisdome, moretheninfollie: as
beholde, all is vanitie, and vexation of the spirit. the light is more excellent then darkenes. 14 For
15 That which is crooked, can none make straight: the wise mans eyes are in his head, but the foole
and that which faileth, cannot be nombred. 16 I walketh in darknes: yet I know also that the same
thought in mine heart, and said, Behold, I am condition falleth to them all. 15 Then I thought in
become great, and excell in wisdome all them mine heart, It befalleth vnto me, as it befalleth
that haue bene before me in Ierusalem: and mine to ye foole. Why therefore doe I then labour
heart hath seene much wisedome and knowl- to be more wise? And I sayd in mine heart,
edge. 17 And I gaue mine heart to knowe wisdome 16
and knowledge, madnes and foolishnes: I knew that this also is vanitie. For there shalbe no
remembrance of the wise, nor of the foole for
also that this is a vexation of the spirit. 18 For in euer: for that that now is, in the dayes to come
the multitude of wisedome is much griefe: and he shall all be forgotten. And howe dyeth the wise
that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorowe. man, as doeth the foole? 17 Therefore I hated life:
2 for the worke that is wrought vnder the sunne is
grieuous vnto me: for all is vanitie, and vexation
1 I said in mine heart, Goe to nowe, I will proue of the spirit. 18 I hated also all my labour, wherein
thee with ioy: therefore take thou pleasure in I had trauailed vnder the sunne, which I shall
pleasant things: and beholde, this also is vanitie.