The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.
The work of foolish people exhausts them completely, because they don't even know how to find their way to the city.
The writer is saying that foolish people waste their energy on pointless efforts because they lack basic wisdom and direction in life.
📚 Historical Context
Ecclesiastes is a book of wisdom literature in the Old Testament, traditionally attributed to King Solomon, who reflects on the vanity of human efforts without divine wisdom during a time of Israel's prosperity and excess. In ancient Near Eastern culture, knowing how to reach a city was a fundamental skill for trade, safety, and community life, symbolizing basic practical knowledge that the foolish person lacks. This verse fits into a larger passage contrasting wise and foolish behaviors, highlighting how folly leads to pointless exhaustion.
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