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1. Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:
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1. There is H3426 an evil H7451 which H834 I have seen H7200 under H8478 the sun H8121 , and it H1931 is common H7227 among H5921 men H120 :
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2. God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor� instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.
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2. A man H376 to whom H834 God H430 hath given H5414 riches H6239 , wealth H5233 , and honor H3519 , so that he wanteth H2638 nothing H369 for his soul H5315 of all H4480 H3605 that H834 he desireth H183 , yet God H430 giveth him not power H7980 H3808 to eat H398 thereof H4480 , but H3588 a stranger H376 H5237 eateth H398 it: this H2088 is vanity H1892 , and it H1931 is an evil H7451 disease H2483 .
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3. Even if a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years� even if he lives a long, long time, but cannot enjoy his prosperity� even if he were to live forever� I would say, "A stillborn child is better off than he is!"
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3. If H518 a man H376 beget H3205 a hundred H3967 children , and live H2421 many H7227 years H8141 , so that the days H3117 of his years H8141 be H7945 H1961 many H7227 , and his soul H5315 be not H3808 filled H7646 with H4480 good H2896 , and also H1571 that he have H1961 no H3808 burial H6900 ; I say H559 , that an untimely birth H5309 is better H2896 than H4480 he.
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4. Though the stillborn child came into the world for no reason and departed into darkness, though its name is shrouded in darkness,
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4. For H3588 he cometh H935 in with vanity H1892 , and departeth H1980 in darkness H2822 , and his name H8034 shall be covered H3680 with darkness H2822 .
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5. though it never saw the light of day nor knew anything, yet it has more rest than that man�
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5. Moreover H1571 he hath not H3808 seen H7200 the sun H8121 , nor H3808 known H3045 any thing : this H2088 hath more rest H5183 than the other H4480 H2088 .
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6. if he should live a thousand years twice, yet does not enjoy his prosperity. For both of them die!
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6. Yea H432 , though he live H2421 a thousand H505 years H8141 twice H6471 told , yet hath he seen H7200 no H3808 good H2896 : do not H3808 all H3605 go H1980 to H413 one H259 place H4725 ?
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7. All of man's labor is for nothing more than to fill his stomach� yet his appetite is never satisfied!
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7. All H3605 the labor H5999 of man H120 is for his mouth H6310 , and yet H1571 the appetite H5315 is not H3808 filled H4390 .
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8. So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? And what advantage does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive?
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8. For H3588 what H4100 hath the wise H2450 more H3148 than H4480 the fool H3684 ? what H4100 hath the poor H6041 , that knoweth H3045 to walk H1980 before H5048 the living H2416 ?
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9. It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one's heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile� like chasing the wind.
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9. Better H2896 is the sight H4758 of the eyes H5869 than the wandering H4480 H1980 of the desire H5315 : this H2088 is also H1571 vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit H7307 .
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10. Whatever has happened was foreordained, and what happens to a person was also foreknown. It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate because God is more powerful than he is.
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10. That H4100 which hath been H7945 H1961 is named H7121 H8034 already H3528 , and it is known H3045 that H834 it H1931 is man H120 : neither H3808 may H3201 he contend H1777 with H5973 him that is mightier H7945 H8623 than H4480 he.
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11. The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him?
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11. Seeing H3588 there be H3426 many H7235 things H1697 that increase H7235 vanity H1892 , what H4100 is man H120 the better H3148 ?
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12. For no one knows what is best for a person during his life� during the few days of his fleeting life� for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.
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12. For H3588 who H4310 knoweth H3045 what H4100 is good H2896 for man H120 in this life H2416 , all H4557 the days H3117 of his vain H1892 life H2416 which he spendeth H6213 as a shadow H6738 ? for H834 who H4310 can tell H5046 a man H120 what H4100 shall be H1961 after H310 him under H8478 the sun H8121 ?
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