1 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2 a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that his soul lacks nothing of all he desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy it, and a stranger enjoys it. This is vanity and a grievous affliction. 3 Though a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many the days of his years may be, if his soul is not satisfied with good and he does not even have a burial, I say a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. 5 Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, it has more rest than he. 6 Even if he lives twice a thousand years but sees no good, do not all go to one place? 7 All a man’s toil is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. 8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? What advantage has the poor man who knows how to walk among the living? 9 Better what the eyes see than the wandering of desire. This too is vanity and a pursuit of wind. 10 Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; he cannot contend with one stronger than himself. 11 For there are many words that increase vanity. What does a man gain? 12 For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the numbered days of his fleeting life, which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?