| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: | 1I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: |
| 2a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil. | 2God 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. |
| 3If 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. | 3A 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. |
| 4For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. | 4It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. |
| 5Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. | 5Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man-- |
| 6Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place? | 6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place? |
| 7All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. | 7Everyone's toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied. |
| 8For 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? | 8What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others? |
| 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. | 9Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. |
| 10Whatever 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. | 10Whatever exists has already been named, and what humanity is has been known; no one can contend with someone who is stronger. |
| 11The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? | 11The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone? |
| 12For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun? | 12For 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? |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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