¹²And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and ^bmadness, and ^cfolly: for what can the man do that cometh ^ccafter the king? ^||^deven that which hath been ^ealready done.

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Footnotes

bch. 7:25. See ch. 1:17.
cSee ver. 3.
ccComp. ver. 18?
||Or, in those things which have been already done.
dSee ch. 1:9.
eSee ch. 1:10.

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In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Then I turned my thoughts to consider wisdom,

and also madness and folly.

What more can the king’s successor do

than what has already been done?

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Then I turned to consider wisdom, madness, and folly, for what will the king’s successor be like? He will do what has already been done.

NLTNew Living Translation

So I decided to compare wisdom with foolishness and madness (for who can do this better than I, the king?).

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Next, I considered wisdom, as well as delusion and folly. What can anyone do who will come after the king that has not already been done?