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

There is another bad thing which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard for men:

2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

God gives a man riches and many good things and honor, so that he has everything he wants. But He does not allow him to have joy from them, for a stranger has joy from them. This is for nothing, and is very bad.

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

If a man becomes the father of a hundred children and lives many years until he is very old, but he is not happy with good things, and is not buried as he should be, then I say that the child who dies before it is born is shown more favor than he.

4 F or he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

For this child comes for nothing and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered.

5 M oreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.

It never sees the sun and it never knows anything. It is better off than he.

6 Y ea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not find joy in good things, do not all go to the same place?

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

All a man’s work is for his mouth, and yet his hunger is not filled.

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

For what is better for the wise man than for the fool? And what good does the poor man have who knows how to walk among the living?

9 B etter is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

What the eyes see is better than what there is a desire for. This also is for nothing, like trying to catch the wind.

10 T hat which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

Whatever has come to be has already been given a name. It is known what man is, and that he cannot argue with one who is stronger than he.

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

The more words there are, the more they are worth nothing. What good is that to anyone?

12 F or who knoweth what is good for man in this 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 knows what is good for a man during his life, during the few years of his living for nothing? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will happen after he is gone under the sun?