12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

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Wisdom Is Meaningless

12 I, the Teacher,(A) was king over Israel in Jerusalem.(B)

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13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

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13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens.(A) What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!(B)

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16 I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

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16 I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me;(A) I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”

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17 And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

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17 Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom,(A) and also of madness and folly,(B) but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.

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