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24-25 There is no one who has tried to enjoy life more than I have. And this is what I learned: The best thing people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy the work they must do. I also saw that this comes from God.[a] 26 If people do good and please God, he will give them wisdom, knowledge, and joy. But those who sin will get only the work of gathering and carrying things. God takes from the bad person and gives to the good person. But all this work is useless. It is like trying to catch the wind.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 2:24 Or “24 The best people can do is eat, drink, and enjoy their work. I also saw that this comes from God. 25 No one can eat or enjoy life without God.”

24 A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink(A) and find satisfaction in their own toil.(B) This too, I see, is from the hand of God,(C) 25 for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?(D) 26 To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom,(E) knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth(F) to hand it over to the one who pleases God.(G) This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

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