1 T here is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavily upon men:

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it great on man:

2 A man to whom God has given riches, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he might desire, yet God does not give him the power or capacity to enjoy them, but a stranger consumes and enjoys them. This is vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility); it is a sore affliction!

A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it; this vanity, and it an evil disease.

3 I f a man begets a hundred children and lives many years so that the days of his years are many, but his life is not filled with good, and also he is given no burial, I say that an untimely birth is better off than he,

If a man doth beget a hundred, and live many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he hath not had a grave, I have said, `Better than he the untimely birth.'

4 F or comes in futility and goes into darkness, and in darkness his name is covered.

For in vanity he came in, and in darkness he goeth, and in darkness his name is covered,

5 M oreover, he has not seen the sun nor had any knowledge, yet he has rest rather than he.

Even the sun he hath not seen nor known, more rest hath this than that.

6 E ven though he lives a thousand years twice over and yet has seen no good and experienced no enjoyment—do not all go to one place ?

And though he had lived a thousand years twice over, yet good he hath not seen; to the same place doth not every one go?

7 A ll the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his desire is not satisfied.

All the labour of man for his mouth, and yet the soul is not filled.

8 F or what advantage has the wise man over the fool ? What advantage has the poor man who has learned how to walk before the living ?

For what advantage to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knoweth to walk before the living?

9 B etter is the sight of the eyes than the cravings of wandering desire. This is also vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility) and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it!

Better the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This also vanity and vexation of spirit.

10 W hatever is, he has been named that long ago, and it is known that it is man; nor can he contend with Him who is mightier than he.

What that which hath been? already is its name called, and it is known that it man, and he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he.

11 S eeing that there are many other things and words that increase the emptiness, falsity, vainglory, and futility, what profit and what outcome is there for man?

For there are many things multiplying vanity; what advantage to man?

12 F or who '> limited to human wisdom] knows what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow ? For who can tell a man what will happen under the sun after he is gone?

For who knoweth what good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?