1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon men: 2A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires for his life, yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 3If a man beget 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 that he has no burial; I say, a miscarriage is better than he. 4For he comes in with vanity and goes out in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. 5Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known anything. This one had more rest than the other. 6Yea, even though he live a thousand years twice, yet he has enjoyed no good. Do not all go to one place?

7All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. 8For what has the wise more than the fool? What gain has the poor who knows how to walk before the living? 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This is also vanity and a striving after wind.

10That which has been is named already, and it is known that he is man; and he is not able to contend with Him who is mightier than he. 11For there are many things that increase vanity, but what advantage is that to man? 12For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?