Hebrew Names Version HNV
New International Version NIV
18 I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to the man who comes after me.
18
I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.
19 Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
19
And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish? Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.
20 Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.
20
So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun.
21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored therein. This also is vanity and a great evil.
21
For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.
22 For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?
22
What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun?
23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
23
All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless.
24 There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
24
A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God,
25 For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
25
for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?
26 For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
26
To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
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