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1. I said to myself, "I should have fun�I should enjoy everything as much as I can." But I learned that this is also useless.
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1. I H589 said H559 in mine heart H3820 , Go to H1980 now H4994 , I will prove H5254 thee with mirth H8057 , therefore enjoy H7200 pleasure H2896 : and, behold H2009 , this H1931 also H1571 is vanity H1892 .
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2. It is foolish to laugh all the time. Having fun does not do any good.
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2. I said H559 of laughter H7814 , It is mad H1984 : and of mirth H8057 , What H4100 doeth H6213 it H2090 ?
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3. So I decided to fill my body with wine while I filled my mind with wisdom. I tried this foolishness because I wanted to find a way to be happy. I wanted to see what was good for people to do during their few days of life.
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3. I sought H8446 in mine heart H3820 to give H4900 H853 myself H1320 unto wine H3196 , yet acquainting H5090 mine heart H3820 with wisdom H2451 ; and to lay hold H270 on folly H5531 , till H5704 H834 I might see H7200 what H335 was that H2088 good H2896 for the sons H1121 of men H120 , which H834 they should do H6213 under H8478 the heaven H8064 all H4557 the days H3117 of their life H2416 .
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4. Then I began doing great things. I built houses, and I planted vineyards for myself.
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4. I made me great H1431 works H4639 ; I built H1129 me houses H1004 ; I planted H5193 me vineyards H3754 :
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5. I planted gardens, and I made parks. I planted all kinds of fruit trees.
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5. I made H6213 me gardens H1593 and orchards H6508 , and I planted H5193 trees H6086 in them of all H3605 kind of fruits H6529 :
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6. I made pools of water for myself, and I used them to water my growing trees.
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6. I made H6213 me pools H1295 of water H4325 , to water H8248 therewith H4480 the wood H3293 that bringeth forth H6779 trees H6086 :
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7. I bought men and women slaves, and there were slaves born in my house. I owned many great things. I had herds of cattle and flocks of sheep. I owned more things than any other person in Jerusalem did.
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7. I got H7069 me servants H5650 and maidens H8198 , and had H1961 servants born H1121 in my house H1004 ; also H1571 I had H1961 great H7235 possessions H4735 of great H1241 and small cattle H6629 above all H4480 H3605 that were H7945 H1961 in Jerusalem H3389 before H6440 me:
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8. I also gathered silver and gold for myself. I took treasures from kings and their nations. I had men and women singing for me. I had everything anyone could want.
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8. I gathered H3664 me also H1571 silver H3701 and gold H2091 , and the peculiar treasure H5459 of kings H4428 and of the provinces H4082 : I got H6213 me men singers H7891 and women singers H7891 , and the delights H8588 of the sons H1121 of men H120 , as musical instruments H7705 H7705 , and that of all sorts.
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9. I became very rich and famous. I was greater than anyone who lived in Jerusalem before me. My wisdom was always there to help me.
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9. So I was great H1431 , and increased more H3254 than all H4480 H3605 that were H7945 H1961 before H6440 me in Jerusalem H3389 : also H637 my wisdom H2451 remained H5975 with me.
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10. Anything my eyes saw and wanted, I got for myself. My mind was pleased with everything I did. And this happiness was the reward for all my hard work.
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10. And whatsoever H3605 H834 mine eyes H5869 desired H7592 I kept H680 not H3808 from H4480 them , I withheld H4513 not H3808 H853 my heart H3820 from any H4480 H3605 joy H8057 ; for H3588 my heart H3820 rejoiced H8056 in all H4480 H3605 my labor H5999 : and this H2088 was H1961 my portion H2506 of all H4480 H3605 my labor H5999 .
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11. But then I looked at everything I had done and the wealth I had gained. I decided it was all a waste of time! It was like trying to catch the wind. There is nothing to gain from anything we do in this life.
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11. Then I H589 looked H6437 on all H3605 the works H4639 that my hands had wrought H7945 H6213 H3027 , and on the labor H5999 that I had labored H7945 H5998 to do H6213 : and, behold H2009 , all H3605 was vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit H7307 , and there was no H369 profit H3504 under H8478 the sun H8121 .
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12. Then I decided to think about what it means to be wise or to be foolish or to do crazy things. And I thought about the one who will be the next king. The new king will do the same as the kings before him.
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12. And I H589 turned H6437 myself to behold H7200 wisdom H2451 , and madness H1947 , and folly H5531 : for H3588 what H4100 can the man H120 do that cometh H7945 H935 after H310 the king H4428 ? even H853 that which H834 hath been already H3528 done H6213 .
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13. I saw that wisdom is better than foolishness in the same way that light is better than darkness.
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13. Then I H589 saw H7200 that H7945 H3426 wisdom H2451 excelleth H3504 folly H4480 H5531 , as far as light H216 excelleth H3504 darkness H4480 H2822 .
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14. Wise people use their minds like eyes to see where they are going. But for fools, it is as if they are walking in the dark. I also saw that fools and wise people both end the same way.
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14. The wise man H2450 's eyes H5869 are in his head H7218 ; but the fool H3684 walketh H1980 in darkness H2822 : and I myself H589 perceived H3045 also H1571 that one event H7945 H4745 H259 happeneth H7136 to H854 them all H3605 .
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15. I thought to myself, "The same thing that happens to a fool will also happen to me. So why have I tried so hard to become wise?" I said to myself, "Being wise is also useless."
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15. Then said H559 I H589 in my heart H3820 , As it happeneth H4745 to the fool H3684 , so it happeneth H7136 even H1571 to me ; and why H4100 was I H589 then H227 more H3148 wise H2449 ? Then I said H1696 in my heart H3820 , that this H2088 also H7945 H1571 is vanity H1892 .
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16. Whether people are wise or foolish, they will still die, and no one will remember either one of them forever. In the future, people will forget everything both of them did. So the two are really the same.
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16. For H3588 there is no H369 remembrance H2146 of the wise H2450 more than H5973 of the fool H3684 forever H5769 ; seeing that which now H7945 H3528 is in the days H3117 to come H935 shall all H3605 be forgotten H7911 . And how H349 dieth H4191 the wise H2450 man ? as H5973 the fool H3684 .
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17. This made me hate life. It was depressing to think that everything in this life is useless, like trying to catch the wind.
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17. Therefore I hated H8130 H853 life H2416 ; because H3588 the work H4639 that is wrought H7945 H6213 under H8478 the sun H8121 is grievous H7451 unto H5921 me: for H3588 all H3605 is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit H7307 .
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18. I began to hate all the hard work I had done, because I saw that the people who live after me will get the things that I worked for. I will not be able to take them with me.
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18. Yea, I H589 hated H8130 H853 all H3605 my labor H5999 which I H7945 H589 had taken H6001 under H8478 the sun H8121 : because I should leave H7945 H5117 it unto the man H120 that shall be H7945 H1961 after H310 me.
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19. Some other person will control everything I worked and studied for. And I don't know if that person will be wise or foolish. This is also senseless.
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19. And who H4310 knoweth H3045 whether he shall be H1961 a wise H2450 man or H176 a fool H5530 ? yet shall he have rule H7980 over all H3605 my labor H5999 wherein I have labored H7945 H5998 , and wherein I have showed myself wise H7945 H2449 under H8478 the sun H8121 . This H2088 is also H1571 vanity H1892 .
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20. So I became sad about all the work I had done.
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20. Therefore I H589 went about H5437 to cause H853 my heart H3820 to despair H2976 of H5921 all H3605 the labor H5999 which I took H7945 H5998 under H8478 the sun H8121 .
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21. People can work hard using all their wisdom and knowledge and skill. But they will die and other people will get the things they worked for. They did not do the work, but they will get everything. That makes me very sad. It is also not fair and is senseless.
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21. For H3588 there is H3426 a man H120 whose labor H7945 H5999 is in wisdom H2451 , and in knowledge H1847 , and in equity H3788 ; yet to a man H120 that hath not H7945 H3808 labored H5998 therein shall he leave H5414 it for his portion H2506 . This H2088 also H1571 is vanity H1892 and a great H7227 evil H7451 .
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22. What do people really have after all their work and struggling in this life?
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22. For H3588 what H4100 hath H1933 man H120 of all H3605 his labor H5999 , and of the vexation H7475 of his heart H3820 , wherein he H7945 H1931 hath labored H6001 under H8478 the sun H8121 ?
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23. Throughout their life, they have pain, frustrations, and hard work. Even at night, a person's mind does not rest. This is also senseless.
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23. For H3588 all H3605 his days H3117 are sorrows H4341 , and his travail H6045 grief H3708 ; yea H1571 , his heart H3820 taketh not H3808 rest H7901 in the night H3915 . This H2088 is also H1571 vanity H1892 .
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24. There is no one who has tried to enjoy life more than I have. And this is what I learned: The best thing people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy the work they must do. I also saw that this comes from God.
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24. There is nothing H369 better H2896 for a man H120 , than that he should eat H7945 H398 and drink H8354 , and that he should make his soul H7200 H853 H5315 good H2896 in his labor H5999 . This H2090 also H1571 I H589 saw H7200 , that H3588 it H1931 was from the hand H4480 H3027 of God H430 .
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25. For H3588 who H4310 can eat H398 , or who H4310 else can hasten H2363 hereunto , more H2351 than H4480 I?
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26. If people do good and please God, he will give them wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But those who sin will get only the work of gathering and carrying things. God takes from the bad person and gives to the good person. But all this work is useless. It is like trying to catch the wind.
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26. For H3588 God giveth H5414 to a man H120 that is good H7945 H2896 in his sight H6440 wisdom H2451 , and knowledge H1847 , and joy H8057 : but to the sinner H2398 he giveth H5414 travail H6045 , to gather H622 and to heap up H3664 , that he may give H5414 to him that is good H2896 before H6440 God H430 . This H2088 also H1571 is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit H7307 .
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