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 is heavy 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 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.

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 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:

4 f or it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity.

for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;

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

moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather than the other:

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?”

yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoy no good, 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 the appetite is not filled.

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 hath the wise more than the fool? or what hath the poor man, that knoweth 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 wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

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.

Whatsoever 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.

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

Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

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 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?