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15 Just as he came naked from his mother’s womb,
    he will leave[a] as naked as he came;
he will receive no profit from his efforts—
    he cannot carry away even a handful.

16 This is also a painful tragedy:

However a person comes, he also departs;
    so what does he gain as he labors after the wind?
17 Furthermore, all his days he lives[b] in darkness
    with great sorrow, anger, and affliction.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 5:15 Lit. return
  2. Ecclesiastes 5:17 Lit. eats

15 Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
    and as everyone comes, so they depart.(A)
They take nothing from their toil(B)
    that they can carry in their hands.(C)

16 This too is a grievous evil:

As everyone comes, so they depart,
    and what do they gain,
    since they toil for the wind?(D)
17 All their days they eat in darkness,
    with great frustration, affliction and anger.

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