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

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

2 G od 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.

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 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.

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

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 find joy in good things, do not all go to the same 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 work is for his mouth, and yet his hunger is not filled.

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

8 F or 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?

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 there is a desire for. This also is for nothing, like trying to catch the 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 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.

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

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 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?

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?