1 There is an AEccl 5:13evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent 1Lit uponamong men— 2 a man to whom God has A1 Kin 3:13given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul BPs 17:14; 73:7; Eccl 2:10lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner 1Lit eats from themenjoys them. This is 2Or futilityvanity and a severe affliction. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many 1Lit the days of his yearsthey be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper AIs 14:20; Jer 8:2; 22:19burial, then I say, “Better BJob 3:16; Eccl 4:3the miscarriage than he, 4 for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity. 5  “It never sees the sun and it never knows anything; 1Lit more rest has this one than thatit is better off than he. 6  “Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not 1Lit seeenjoy good things—AEccl 2:14do not all go to one place?”

7 AProv 16:26All a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the 1Lit soulappetite is not 2Lit filledsatisfied. 8 For AEccl 2:15what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living? 9 What the eyes AEccl 11:9see is better than what the soul 1Lit goes afterdesires. This too is BEccl 1:14futility and a striving after wind.

10 Whatever AEccl 1:9; 3:15exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he BJob 9:32; 40:2; Prov 21:30; Is 45:9cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man? 12 For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few 1Lit daysyears of his futile life? He will 2Lit dospend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man AEccl 3:22what will be after him under the sun?