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1. I thought about all this very carefully. I saw that God controls what happens to the good and wise people and what they do. People don't know if they will be loved or hated, and they don't know what will happen in the future.
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1. For H3588 H853 all H3605 this H2088 I considered H5414 in H413 my heart H3820 even to declare H952 H853 all H3605 this H2088 , that H834 the righteous H6662 , and the wise H2450 , and their works H5652 , are in the hand H3027 of God H430 : no H369 man H120 knoweth H3045 either H1571 love H160 or H1571 hatred H8135 by all H3605 that is before H6440 them.
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2. But, there is one thing that happens to everyone�we all die! Death comes to good people and bad people. Death comes to those who are pure and to those who are not pure. Death comes to those who give sacrifices and to those who don't give sacrifices. Good people will die just as sinners do. Those who make promises to God will die just as those who are afraid to make those promises.
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2. All H3605 things come alike H834 to all H3605 : there is one H259 event H4745 to the righteous H6662 , and to the wicked H7563 ; to the good H2896 and to the clean H2889 , and to the unclean H2931 ; to him that sacrificeth H2076 , and to him that sacrificeth H834 H2076 not H369 : as is the good H2896 , so is the sinner H2398 ; and he that sweareth H7650 , as H834 he that feareth H3372 an oath H7621 .
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3. Of all the things that happen in this life, the worst thing is that all people end life the same way. But it is also very bad that people always think evil and foolish thoughts. And those thoughts lead to death.
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3. This H2088 is an evil H7451 among all H3605 things that H834 are done H6213 under H8478 the sun H8121 , that H3588 there is one H259 event H4745 unto all H3605 : yea, also H1571 the heart H3820 of the sons H1121 of men H120 is full H4390 of evil H7451 , and madness H1947 is in their heart H3824 while they live H2416 , and after H310 that they go to H413 the dead H4191 .
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4. There is hope for those who are still alive�it does not matter who they are. But this saying is true: A living dog is better than a dead lion.
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4. For H3588 to him H4310 that H834 is joined H2266 to H413 all H3605 the living H2416 there is H3426 hope H986 : for H3588 a living H2416 dog H3611 is better H2896 than H4480 a dead H4191 lion H738 .
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5. The living know that they will die, but the dead don't know anything. They have no more reward. People will soon forget them.
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5. For H3588 the living H2416 know H3045 that they shall die H7945 H4191 : but the dead H4191 know H3045 not H369 any thing H3972 , neither H369 have they any more H5750 a reward H7939 ; for H3588 the memory H2143 of them is forgotten H7911 .
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6. After people are dead, their love, hate, and jealousy are all gone. And they will never again share in what happens on earth.
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6. Also H1571 their love H160 , and H1571 their hatred H8135 , and H1571 their envy H7068 , is now H3528 perished H6 ; neither H369 have they any more H5750 a portion H2506 forever H5769 in any H3605 thing that H834 is done H6213 under H8478 the sun H8121 .
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7. So go and eat your food now and enjoy it. Drink your wine and be happy. It is all right with God if you do these things.
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7. Go H1980 thy way, eat H398 thy bread H3899 with joy H8057 , and drink H8354 thy wine H3196 with a merry H2896 heart H3820 ; for H3588 God H430 now H3528 accepteth H7521 H853 thy works H4639 .
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8. Wear nice clothes and make yourself look good.
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8. Let thy garments H899 be H1961 always H3605 H6256 white H3836 ; and let thy head H7218 lack H2637 no H408 ointment H8081 .
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9. Enjoy life with the wife you love. Enjoy every day of your short life. God has given you this short life on earth�and it is all you have. So enjoy the work you have to do in this life.
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9. Live joyfully H2416 H7200 with H5973 the wife H802 whom H834 thou lovest H157 all H3605 the days H3117 of the life H2416 of thy vanity H1892 , which H834 he hath given H5414 thee under H8478 the sun H8121 , all H3605 the days H3117 of thy vanity H1892 : for H3588 that H1931 is thy portion H2506 in this life H2416 , and in thy labor H5999 which H834 thou H859 takest H6001 under H8478 the sun H8121 .
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10. Every time you find work to do, do it the best you can. In the grave there is no work. There is no thinking, no knowledge, and there is no wisdom. And we are all going to the place of death.
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10. Whatsoever H3605 H834 thy hand H3027 findeth H4672 to do H6213 , do H6213 it with thy might H3581 ; for H3588 there is no H369 work H4639 , nor device H2808 , nor knowledge H1847 , nor wisdom H2451 , in the grave H7585 , whither H834 H8033 thou H859 goest H1980 .
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11. I also saw other things in this life that were not fair. The fastest runner does not always win the race; the strongest soldier does not always win the battle; wise people don't always get the food; smart people don't always get the wealth; educated people don't always get the praise they deserve. When the time comes, bad things can happen to anyone!
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11. I returned H7725 , and saw H7200 under H8478 the sun H8121 , that H3588 the race H4793 is not H3808 to the swift H7031 , nor H3808 the battle H4421 to the strong H1368 , neither H3808 yet H1571 bread H3899 to the wise H2450 , nor H3808 yet H1571 riches H6239 to men of understanding H995 , nor H3808 yet H1571 favor H2580 to men of skill H3045 ; but H3588 time H6256 and chance H6294 happeneth H7136 to H853 them all H3605 .
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12. You never know when hard times will come. Like fish in a net or birds in a snare, people are often trapped by some disaster that suddenly falls on them.
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12. For H3588 man H120 also H1571 knoweth H3045 not H3808 H853 his time H6256 : as the fishes H1709 that are taken H7945 H270 in an evil H7451 net H4686 , and as the birds H6833 that are caught H270 in the snare H6341 ; so are the sons H1121 of men H120 snared H3369 in an evil H7451 time H6256 , when it falleth H7945 H5307 suddenly H6597 upon H5921 them.
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13. I also saw a person doing a wise thing in this life, and it seemed very important to me.
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13. This H2090 wisdom H2451 have I seen H7200 also H1571 under H8478 the sun H8121 , and it H1931 seemed great H1419 unto H413 me:
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14. There was a small town with a few people in it. A great king fought against that town and put his armies all around it.
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14. There was a little H6996 city H5892 , and few H4592 men H376 within it ; and there came H935 a great H1419 king H4428 against H413 it , and besieged H5437 it , and built H1129 great H1419 bulwarks H4685 against H5921 it:
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15. But there was a wise man in that town. He was poor, but he used his wisdom to save his town. After everything was finished, the people forgot about the poor man.
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15. Now there was found H4672 in it a poor H4542 wise H2450 man H376 , and he H1931 by his wisdom H2451 delivered H4422 H853 the city H5892 ; yet no H3808 man H120 remembered H2142 H853 that same H1931 poor H4542 man H376 .
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16. But I still say that wisdom is better than strength. They forgot about the poor man's wisdom, and the people stopped listening to what he said. But I still believe that wisdom is better.
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16. Then said H559 I H589 , Wisdom H2451 is better H2896 than strength H4480 H1369 : nevertheless the poor man H4542 's wisdom H2451 is despised H959 , and his words H1697 are not H369 heard H8085 .
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17. Words spoken by the wise are heard more clearly than those shouted by a leader among fools.
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17. The words H1697 of wise H2450 men are heard H8085 in quiet H5183 more than the cry H4480 H2201 of him that ruleth H4910 among fools H3684 .
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18. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one fool can destroy much good.
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18. Wisdom H2451 is better H2896 than weapons H4480 H3627 of war H7128 : but one H259 sinner H2398 destroyeth H6 much H7235 good H2896 .
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