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Psalms 145

Amplified Bible, 2015 (AMP)

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¹ "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher. "Vanity of vanities! All [that is done without God's guidance] is vanity [futile, meaningless—a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes, merely chasing the wind]."

² What advantage does man have from all his work Which he does[1] under the sun (while earthbound)?

³ One generation goes and another generation comes, But the earth remains forever.

⁴ Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; And hurries to the place where it rises again.

⁵ The wind blows toward the south, Then circles toward the north; The wind circles and swirls endlessly, And on its circular course the wind returns.

⁶ All the rivers flow into the sea, Yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, There they flow again.

⁷ All things are wearisome and all words are frail; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing.

⁸ That which has been is that which will be [again], And that which has been done is that which will be done again. So there is nothing new under the sun.

⁹ Is there anything of which it can be said, "See this, it is new"? It has already existed for [the vast] ages [of time recorded or unrecorded] Which were before us.

¹⁰ There is no remembrance of earlier things, Nor also of the later things that are to come; There will be for them no remembrance By generations who will come after them.

¹¹ I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.

¹² And I set my mind to seek and explore by [man's][2] wisdom all [human activity] that has been done under heaven. It is a miserable business and a burdensome task which[3] God has given the sons of men with which to be busy and distressed.

¹³ I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity, a futile grasping and chasing after the wind.

¹⁴ What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is defective and lacking cannot be counted.

¹⁵ I spoke with my heart, saying, "Behold, I have acquired great [human] wisdom and experience, more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of [moral] wisdom and [scientific] knowledge."

¹⁶ And I set my mind to know [practical] wisdom and to discern [the character of] madness and folly [in which men seem to find satisfaction]; I realized that this too is a futile grasping and chasing after the wind.

¹⁷ For in much [human] wisdom there is much displeasure and exasperation; increasing knowledge increases sorrow.

¹⁸ I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure and gratification; so enjoy yourself and have a good time." But behold, this too was vanity (futility, meaninglessness).

¹⁹ I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?"

²⁰ I explored with my mind how to gratify myself with wine while [at the same time] having my mind remain steady and guide me wisely; and how to take control of foolishness, until I could see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.

²¹ I made great works: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself;

#	AMP
1	"Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher. "Vanity of vanities! All [that is done without God's guidance] is vanity [futile, meaningless—a wisp of smoke, a vapor that vanishes, merely chasing the wind]."
2	What advantage does man have from all his work Which he does[1] under the sun (while earthbound)?
3	One generation goes and another generation comes, But the earth remains forever.
4	Also, the sun rises and the sun sets; And hurries to the place where it rises again.
5	The wind blows toward the south, Then circles toward the north; The wind circles and swirls endlessly, And on its circular course the wind returns.
6	All the rivers flow into the sea, Yet the sea is not full. To the place where the rivers flow, There they flow again.
7	All things are wearisome and all words are frail; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor is the ear filled with hearing.
8	That which has been is that which will be [again], And that which has been done is that which will be done again. So there is nothing new under the sun.
9	Is there anything of which it can be said, "See this, it is new"? It has already existed for [the vast] ages [of time recorded or unrecorded] Which were before us.
10	There is no remembrance of earlier things, Nor also of the later things that are to come; There will be for them no remembrance By generations who will come after them.
11	I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem.
12	And I set my mind to seek and explore by [man's][2] wisdom all [human activity] that has been done under heaven. It is a miserable business and a burdensome task which[3] God has given the sons of men with which to be busy and distressed.
13	I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity, a futile grasping and chasing after the wind.
14	What is crooked cannot be straightened and what is defective and lacking cannot be counted.
15	I spoke with my heart, saying, "Behold, I have acquired great [human] wisdom and experience, more than all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has observed a wealth of [moral] wisdom and [scientific] knowledge."
16	And I set my mind to know [practical] wisdom and to discern [the character of] madness and folly [in which men seem to find satisfaction]; I realized that this too is a futile grasping and chasing after the wind.
17	For in much [human] wisdom there is much displeasure and exasperation; increasing knowledge increases sorrow.
18	I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure and gratification; so enjoy yourself and have a good time." But behold, this too was vanity (futility, meaninglessness).
19	I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?"
20	I explored with my mind how to gratify myself with wine while [at the same time] having my mind remain steady and guide me wisely; and how to take control of foolishness, until I could see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.
21	I made great works: I built houses for myself; I planted vineyards for myself;

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