2:26a To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy,

Some people please God. And He makes them wise, understanding, and happy.
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To those who are good in God’s eyes, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy.
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If we obey God, he will make us wise and understanding. And he will help us to enjoy our life,

2:26b but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God.

But God gives sinful people the task to gather and store wealth, which they then must give to those who please him.
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But if we do not obey God, our lives will be difficult. God will cause us to give what we have accomplished to someone who obeys him.
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but he makes sinners work, earning and saving, so that what they get can be given to those who please him. (Good News Translation)

2:26c This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

So the work ⌊of sinful people⌋ is pointless too, just like chasing the wind.
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This too, is useless, like trying to control where the wind blows.

© 2006 by SIL International®
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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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