26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom,(A) knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth(B) to hand it over to the one who pleases God.(C) This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

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26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

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26 For God gives (A)wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that (B)he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

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There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content(A) with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
    “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
    a miserable business!

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There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

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There is one alone, without [a]companion:
He has neither son nor brother.
Yet there is no end to all his labors,
Nor is his (A)eye satisfied with riches.
But (B)he never asks,
“For whom do I toil and deprive myself of (C)good?”
This also is vanity and a [b]grave misfortune.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit. a second
  2. Ecclesiastes 4:8 Lit. evil task