24 There is no profit to man, but that he eat and drink, and [a]delight his soul with the profit of his labor: I saw also this, that it was of the hand of God.

25 For who could eat, and who could haste to [b]outward things more than I?

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

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 2:24 When man hath all labored, he can get no more than food and refreshing, yet he confesseth also that this cometh of God’s blessing, as Eccl. 3:13.
  2. Ecclesiastes 2:25 Meaning, to pleasures.

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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