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Ecclesiastes 5:7
Dreaming too much and talking too much are meaningless. So have respect for God.
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Ecclesiastes 1:17-18
Then I used my mind to understand what it really means to be wise. And I wanted to know what foolish pleasure is all about. But I found out that it’s also like chasing the wind.A lot of human wisdom leads to a lot of sorrow. More knowledge only brings more sadness.
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Hosea 12:1
The people of Ephraim look to others for help. It’s like chasing the wind. The wind they keep chasing is hot and dry. They tell more and more lies. They are always hurting others. They make a peace treaty with Assyria. They send olive oil to Egypt to get help.
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Psalms 73:6
Their pride is like a necklace. They put on meanness as if it were their clothes.
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Ecclesiastes 1:6-9
The wind blows to the south. Then it turns to the north. Around and around it goes. It always returns to where it started.Every stream flows into the ocean. But the ocean never gets full. The streams return to the place they came from.All things are tiresome. They are more tiresome than anyone can say. But our eyes never see enough of anything. Our ears never hear enough.Everything that has ever been will come back again. Everything that has ever been done will be done again. Nothing is new on earth.
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Ecclesiastes 4:16
At first, all the people served him when he became king. But those who came later weren’t pleased with the way he was ruling. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.
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Ecclesiastes 4:8
A man lived all by himself. He didn’t have any sons or brothers. His hard work never ended. But he wasn’t happy with what he had.“ Who am I working so hard for?” he asked.“ Why don’t I get the things I enjoy?” That doesn’t have any meaning either. In fact, it’s a very bad deal!
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Ecclesiastes 4:1-4
I looked and saw how much people were suffering on this earth. I saw the tears of those who are suffering. They don’t have anyone to comfort them. Power is on the side of those who treat them badly. Those who are suffering don’t have anyone to comfort them.Then I announced that those who have already died are happier than those who are still alive.But someone who hasn’t been born yet is better off than the dead or the living. That’s because that person hasn’t seen the evil things that are done on earth.I also saw that a person works hard and accomplishes a lot. But they do it only because they want what another person has. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.
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Ecclesiastes 2:3-11
I tried cheering myself up by drinking wine. I even tried living in a foolish way. But wisdom was still guiding my mind. I wanted to see what was good for people to do on earth during their short lives.So I started some large projects. I built houses for myself. I planted vineyards.I made gardens and parks. I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.I made lakes to water groves of healthy trees.I bought male and female slaves. And I had other slaves who were born in my house. I also owned more herds and flocks than anyone in Jerusalem ever had before.I stored up silver and gold for myself. I gathered up the treasures of kings and their kingdoms. I got some male and female singers. I also got many women for myself. Women delight the hearts of men.I became far more important than anyone in Jerusalem had ever been before. And in spite of everything, I didn’t lose my wisdom.I gave myself everything my eyes wanted. There wasn’t any pleasure that I refused to give myself. I took delight in everything I did. And that was what I got for all my work.But then I looked over everything my hands had done. I saw what I had worked so hard to get. And nothing had any meaning. It was like chasing the wind. Nothing was gained on this earth.
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Ecclesiastes 3:19
Surely what happens to animals happens to people too. Death waits for people and animals alike. People die, just as animals do. All of them have the same breath. People don’t have any advantage over animals. Nothing has any meaning.
