[1] 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 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] 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] for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. [5] Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man, [6] even if he lives a thousand years twice-but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place? [7] All the labor of man is for his mouth, And yet the soul is not satisfied. [8] 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] Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. [10] 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] Since there are many things that increase vanity, How is man the better? [12] 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?
