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10 If I saw something that I wanted
    I took it for myself.
If something would give me pleasure,
    I did it.
So all my work made me very happy.
    My hard work gave me things to enjoy.
11 Then I thought about everything that I had done,
    and all my hard work.
After all that, I realized that none of these things had a purpose.
    I was like somebody who tries to catch the wind.
None of the things on earth have any value.

12 Then I decided to think about wisdom.
    I also thought about foolish ways to live.
I thought, ‘The next king will not do any more
    than I have already done.’

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10 I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
    I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
    and this was the reward for all my toil.
11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
    and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;(A)
    nothing was gained under the sun.(B)

Wisdom and Folly Are Meaningless

12 Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,
    and also madness and folly.(C)
What more can the king’s successor do
    than what has already been done?(D)

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