1 Thereis an evil which I have seen under the sun, and itiscommon 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. Thisisvanity, and itisan evil affliction.
3 If a man begets a hundredchildrenand lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, orindeed he has no burial, I saythata stillborn childisbetter 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 knownanything,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 oneplace?
7 All the labor of manisfor his mouth,
And yet the soul is not satisfied.
8 For what more has the wisemanthan the fool?
What does the poor man have,
Who knowshowto walk before the living?
9 Betteristhesight of the eyes than the wandering of desire.
This alsoisvanity and grasping for the wind.
10 Whatever one is, he has been namedalready,
For it is known that heisman;
# And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.
11 Since there are many things that increase vanity,
Howisman the better?
12 For who knows whatisgood for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes likea shadow?Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?