<t /><p class="poetry">Wisdom, like<n id="1" /> an inheritance, is a good thing;p> <p class="poetry">it benefits those who see the light of day.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">For with great wisdom comes<n id="1" /> great frustration;p> <p class="poetry">whoever increases his<n id="2" /> knowledge merely<n id="3" /> increases his<n id="4" /> heartache.p> <p class="poetry">

<t /><p class="poetry">This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and it is a great burden<n id="2" /> to me:p>

<p class="poetry">So I concluded that wisdom is better than might,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">but a poor man&#8217;s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens<n id="2" /> to his advice.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Wisdom is better than weapons of war,p> <p class="poetry">but one sinner can destroy much that is good.p>

<p class="poetry">If an iron axhead<n id="1" /> is blunt and a workman<n id="2" /> does not sharpen<n id="3" /> its edge,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">he must exert a great deal of effort;<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">so wisdom has the advantage of giving success.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">I thought to myself,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I have become much wiser<n id="2" /> than any of my predecessors who ruled<n id="3" /> over Jerusalem;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">I<n id="5" /> have acquired much wisdom and knowledge.&#8221;<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">So I decided<n id="1" /> to discern the benefit of<n id="2" /> wisdom and knowledge over<n id="3" /> foolish behavior and ideas;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">however, I concluded<n id="5" /> that even<n id="6" /> this endeavor<n id="7" /> is like<n id="8" /> trying to chase the wind!<n id="9" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Next, I decided to consider<n id="1" /> wisdom, as well as foolish behavior and ideas.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">For what more can the king&#8217;s successor do than what the king<n id="3" /> has already done?p>

<t /><p class="poetry">I tried<n id="1" /> to understand, examine, and comprehend<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the role of<n id="3" /> wisdom in the scheme of things,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and to understand the stupidity of wickedness<n id="5" /> and the insanity of folly.<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">For to the one who pleases him,<n id="1" /> God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy,p> <p class="poetry">but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing<n id="2" /> wealth<n id="3" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">only to give<n id="4" /> it<n id="5" /> to the one who pleases God.p> <p class="poetry">This<n id="6" /> task of the wicked<n id="7" /> is futile &#8211; like chasing the wind!p>

<t /><p class="poetry">When I tried<n id="1" /> to gain<n id="2" /> wisdomp> <p class="poetry">and to observe the activity<n id="3" /> on earth &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">even though it prevents anyone from sleeping day or night<n id="4" /> &#8211;p>