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11 The people of long ago are not remembered,
    nor will there be any remembrance
of people yet to come
    by those who come after them.

The Futility of Seeking Wisdom

12 I, the Teacher,[a] when king over Israel in Jerusalem, 13 applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 1:12 Heb Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher

11 No one remembers the former generations,(A)
    and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
    by those who follow them.(B)

Wisdom Is Meaningless

12 I, the Teacher,(C) was king over Israel in Jerusalem.(D) 13 I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens.(E) What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind!(F)

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