The Futility of Life

1  יֵ֣שׁ (There is) רָעָ֔ה (an evil) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) רָאִ֖יתִי (I have seen) תַּ֣חַת (under) הַשָּׁ֑מֶשׁ (the sun), וְרַבָּ֥ה (and great) הִ֖יא (it is) עַל־ (upon) הָאָדָֽם׃ (mankind): 2  אִ֣ישׁ (A man) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (whom) יִתֶּן־ (has given) ל֣וֹ (to him) הָאֱלֹהִ֡ים (God) עֹשֶׁר֩ (riches) וּנְכָסִ֨ים (and wealth) וְכָב֜וֹד (and honor), וְֽאֵינֶ֨נּוּ (and he has no) חָסֵ֥ר (lack) לְנַפְשׁ֣וֹ׀ (for his soul) מִכֹּ֣ל (from all) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) יִתְאַוֶּ֗ה (he desires); וְלֹֽא־ (and not) יַשְׁלִיטֶ֤נּוּ (does give him power) הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ (God) לֶאֱכֹ֣ל (to eat) מִמֶּ֔נּוּ (from it), כִּ֛י (instead) אִ֥ישׁ (a man) נָכְרִ֖י (foreign) יֹֽאכֲלֶ֑נּוּ (eats it). זֶ֥ה (This) הֶ֛בֶל (is vapor), וָחֳלִ֥י (and a sickening) רָ֖ע (evil) הֽוּא׃ (it is).

3  אִם־ (If) יוֹלִ֣יד (begets) אִ֣ישׁ (a man) מֵאָ֡ה (a hundred) וְשָׁנִים֩ (and years) רַבּ֨וֹת (many) יִֽחְיֶ֜ה (lives), וְרַ֣ב׀ (and many) שֶׁיִּהְי֣וּ (are) יְמֵֽי־ (the days) שָׁנָ֗יו (of his years), וְנַפְשׁוֹ֙ (and his soul) לֹא־ (not) תִשְׂבַּ֣ע (is satisfied) מִן־ (from) הַטּוֹבָ֔ה (this goodness), וְגַם־ (and also) קְבוּרָ֖ה (a grave) לֹא־ (not) הָ֣יְתָה (is) לּ֑וֹ (unto him), אָמַ֕רְתִּי (I say) ט֥וֹב (is better off) מִמֶּ֖נּוּ (than he) הַנָּֽפֶל׃ (that a stillborn child). 4  כִּֽי־ (For) בַהֶ֥בֶל (in vapor) בָּ֖א (he comes), וּבַחֹ֣שֶׁךְ (and in darkness) יֵלֵ֑ךְ (he goes), וּבַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ (and in darkness) שְׁמ֥וֹ (his name) יְכֻסֶּֽה׃ (is covered). 5  גַּם־ (Even though) שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ (the sun) לֹא־ (not) רָאָ֖ה (he has seen), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יָדָ֑ע (has known it) נַ֥חַת (rest) לָזֶ֖ה (is unto this one) מִזֶּֽה׃ (more than this one). 6  וְאִלּ֣וּ (And though) חָיָ֗ה (he might live) אֶ֤לֶף (a thousand) שָׁנִים֙ (years) פַּעֲמַ֔יִם (twice over), וְטוֹבָ֖ה (and goodness) לֹ֣א (not) רָאָ֑ה (have seen), הֲלֹ֛א (are not) אֶל־ (to) מָק֥וֹם (place) אֶחָ֖ד (one) הַכֹּ֥ל (all) הוֹלֵֽךְ׃ (are going)?

7  כָּל־ (All) עֲמַ֥ל (the toil) הָאָדָ֖ם (of man) לְפִ֑יהוּ (is for his mouth),

וְגַם־ (yet) הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ (the soul) לֹ֥א (not) תִמָּלֵֽא׃ (is filled).

8  כִּ֛י (Indeed) מַה־ (what) יּוֹתֵ֥ר (advantage is) לֶחָכָ֖ם (for the wise one) מִֽן־ (over) הַכְּסִ֑יל (the fool)? מַה־ (What) לֶּעָנִ֣י (is to the poor one) יוֹדֵ֔עַ (knowing how) לַהֲלֹ֖ךְ (to walk) נֶ֥גֶד (before) הַחַיִּֽים׃ (the living)? 9  ט֛וֹב (Better) מַרְאֵ֥ה (is a sight) עֵינַ֖יִם (of the eyes) מֵֽהֲלָךְ־ (than the wandering) נָ֑פֶשׁ (of the soul); גַּם־ (also) זֶ֥ה (this) הֶ֖בֶל (is vapor) וּרְע֥וּת (and a striving after) רֽוּחַ׃ (the wind).

10  מַה־ (That) שֶּֽׁהָיָ֗ה (which has come to be), כְּבָר֙ (already) נִקְרָ֣א (has been called) שְׁמ֔וֹ (its name); וְנוֹדָ֖ע (and it is known) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) ה֣וּא (he is) אָדָ֑ם (man), וְלֹא־ (and not) יוּכַ֣ל (is he able) לָדִ֔ין (to contend) עִ֥ם (with) שֶׁהַתְקִיף (one stronger) מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (than he). 11  כִּ֛י (For) יֵשׁ־ (there are) דְּבָרִ֥ים (words) הַרְבֵּ֖ה (many) מַרְבִּ֣ים (multiplying) הָ֑בֶל (vapor), מַה־ (what) יֹּתֵ֖ר (advantage) לָאָדָֽם׃ (is for man)? 12  כִּ֣י (For) מִֽי־ (who) יוֹדֵעַ֩ (knows) מַה־ (what is) טּ֨וֹב (good) לָֽאָדָ֜ם (for man) בַּֽחַיִּ֗ים (in life), מִסְפַּ֛ר (all) יְמֵי־ (the days) חַיֵּ֥י (of the life) הֶבְל֖וֹ (of his vapor) וְיַעֲשֵׂ֣ם (and he makes them) כַּצֵּ֑ל (like a shadow)? אֲשֶׁר֙ (For) מִֽי־ (who) יַגִּ֣יד (can declare) לָֽאָדָ֔ם (to man) מַה־ (what) יִּהְיֶ֥ה (will come to be) אַחֲרָ֖יו (after him) תַּ֥חַת (under) הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ׃ (the sun)?