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² Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher,^*
   vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
³ What do people gain from all the toil
   at which they toil under the sun?
⁴ A generation goes, and a generation comes,
   but the earth remains for ever.
⁵ The sun rises and the sun goes down,
   and hurries to the place where it rises.
⁶ The wind blows to the south,
   and goes round to the north;
round and round goes the wind,
   and on its circuits the wind returns.
⁷ All streams run to the sea,
   but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
   there they continue to flow.
⁸ All things^* are wearisome;
   more than one can express;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
   or the ear filled with hearing.
⁹ What has been is what will be,
   and what has been done is what will be done;
   there is nothing new under the sun.
¹⁰ Is there a thing of which it is said,
   ‘See, this is new’?
It has already been,
   in the ages before us.
¹¹ The people of long ago are not remembered,
   nor will there be any remembrance
of people yet to come
   by those who come after them.

BOOK IV

(Psalms 90-106)

Psalm 90

God’s Eternity and Human Frailty

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.
¹ Lord, you have been our dwelling-place^*
   in all generations.
² Before the mountains were brought forth,
   or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
   from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

³ You turn us^* back to dust,
   and say, ‘Turn back, you mortals.’
⁴ For a thousand years in your sight
   are like yesterday when it is past,
   or like a watch in the night.

⁵ You sweep them away; they are like a dream,
   like grass that is renewed in the morning;
⁶ in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;
   in the evening it fades and withers.

¹² So teach us to count our days
   that we may gain a wise heart.

¹³ Turn, O Lord! How long?
   Have compassion on your servants!
¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
   so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
¹⁷ Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us,
   and prosper for us the work of our hands—
   O prosper the work of our hands!

Herod’s Perplexity

7 Now Herod the ruler^* heard about all that had taken place, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, ⁸by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the ancient prophets had arisen. ⁹Herod said, ‘John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?’ And he tried to see him.