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There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind:
I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind:
God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered.
It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded.
Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he.
Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man —
even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
yet their appetite is never satisfied.
yet their appetite is never satisfied.
For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living?
What advantage have the wise over fools?
What do the poor gain
by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
What do the poor gain
by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Better what the eye sees
than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
a chasing after the wind.
than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
a chasing after the wind.
Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he.
Whatever exists has already been named,
and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
with someone who is stronger.
and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
with someone who is stronger.
The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man?
The more the words,
the less the meaning,
and how does that profit anyone?
the less the meaning,
and how does that profit anyone?
For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?