Thursday of the 25th week of Ordinary Time

2Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity. 3What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun? 4One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever. 5The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again, 6Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his circuits. 7All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow again. 8All things are hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear filled with hearing. 9What is it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done. 10Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us. 11There is no remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.

3Turn not man away to be brought low: and thou hast said: Be converted, O ye sons of men.

4For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past. And as a watch in the night,

5Things that are counted nothing, shall their years be.

6In the morning man shall grow up like grass; in the morning he shall flourish and pass away: in the evening he shall fall, grow dry, and wither.

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12Can number thy wrath? So make thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.

13Return, O Lord, how long? and be entreated in favour of thy servants.

14We are filled in the morning with thy mercy: and we have rejoiced, and are delighted all our days.

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17And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct.

7Now Herod, the tetrarch, heard of all things that were done by him; and he was in a doubt, because it was said 8By some, that John was risen from the dead: but by other some, that Elias had appeared; and by others, that one of the old prophets was risen again. 9And Herod said: John I have beheaded; but who is this of whom I hear such things? And he sought to see him.