The Vanity of Toil
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Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because r I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
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And who knows whether he will be wise or a fool? Yet he will rule over all my labor in which I toiled and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
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Therefore I turned my heart and despaired of all the labor in which I had toiled under the sun.
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For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; yet he must leave his heritage to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.
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s For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun?
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For all his days are t sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
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u Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.
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For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
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For God gives v wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that w he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
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Cross References
Psalms 49:10
For he sees wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, And leave their wealth to others.
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 1:3
What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun?
Ecclesiastes 3:9
What profit has the worker from that in which he labors?
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Cross References
Job 5:7
Yet man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.
Job 14:1
Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble.
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Cross References
Ecclesiastes 3:12
I know that nothing is better for them than to ...
Ecclesiastes 3:13
And also that every man should eat and drink an...
Ecclesiastes 3:22
So I perceived that nothing is better than that...
Isaiah 56:12
"Come," one says, "I will bring wine, And we wi...
Luke 12:19
'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have man...
1 Corinthians 15:32
If, in the manner of men, I have fought with be...
1 Timothy 6:17
Command those who are rich in this present age ...
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Cross References
Job 32:8
But there is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.
Proverbs 2:6
For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
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Cross References
Job 27:16
Though he heaps up silver like dust, And piles up clothing like clay -
Job 27:17
He may pile it up, but the just will wear it, And the innocent will divide the silver.
Proverbs 28:8
One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.