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10 I denied myself nothing that my eyes desired;
    I withheld from my heart no enjoyment.
My heart took delight from all my toil—
    this was my reward for all my labor.
11 Yet when I considered all that my hands had done
    and the toil I had expended to accomplish it,
behold, it all was futile and chasing after the wind.
    There was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Futility of Human Wisdom

12 Then I turned to consider wisdom, madness and folly. For what more can the one who succeeds the king do than what he has 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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