1 T here is an evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent among men—

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

2 a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.

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 fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, “Better the miscarriage 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 comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity.

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

5 I t never sees the sun and it never knows anything; it is better off than he.

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

6 E ven if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not enjoy good things— 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 a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied.

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

8 F or what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing 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 W hat the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility 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 hatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is.

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 F or there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man?

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 knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will 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?