The Futility of Life

1There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it is great upon mankind: 2A man for whom God has given to him riches and wealth and honor, and he has no lack for his soul from all that; he desires and God does not give him power to eat from it; instead a foreign man eats it. This is vapor, and it is a sickening evil.

3If a man begets a hundred and lives many years, and many are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from this goodness, and also not is unto him a grave, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4For in vapor he comes, and in darkness he goes, and in darkness his name is covered. 5Even he has not seen the sun and has not known it, more rest is unto this one than this one. 6And though he might live a thousand years twice over, and has not seen goodness, are not all are going to one place?

7All the toil of man is for his mouth,

yet the soul is not filled.†

8Indeed, what advantage is for the wise one over the fool? What is to the poor one knowing how to walk before the living? 9Better is a sight of the eyes than the wandering of the soul; this also is vapor and a striving after the wind.

10That which has come to be, already its name has been called; and it is known that he is man, and he is not able to contend with one stronger than he. 11For there are many words, multiplying vapor—what advantage is for man? 12For who knows what is good for man in life all the days of the life of his vapor, and he makes them like a shadow? For who can declare to man what will come to be after him under the sun?