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 common among 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 and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil 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 soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he—

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

for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

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

Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man,

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 if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. 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 soul 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 more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, Who knows 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 desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the 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.

Whatever one is, he has been named already, For it is known that he is man; And he cannot 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?

Since there are many things that increase vanity, How 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 knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?