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

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

2 a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

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!

3 I f a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul be not filled with good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he:

If 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,

4 f or it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;

For comes in futility and goes into darkness, and in darkness his name is covered.

5 m oreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather than the other:

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

6 y ea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoy no good, do not all go to one place?

Even 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 ?

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

All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his desire is not satisfied.

8 F or what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?

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

9 B etter is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Better 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!

10 W hatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is know what man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.

Whatever 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.

11 S eeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

Seeing 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?

12 F or who knoweth what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

For 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?