| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: | 1Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people: |
| 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 a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor--instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune. |
| 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. | 3Even if a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years--even if he lives a long, long time, but cannot enjoy his prosperity--even if he were to live forever--I would say, "A stillborn child is better off than he is!" |
| 4For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. | 4Though the stillborn child came into the world for no reason and departed into darkness, though its name is shrouded in darkness, |
| 5Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. | 5though it never saw the light of day nor knew anything, yet it has more rest than that man-- |
| 6Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place? | 6if he should live a thousand years twice, yet does not enjoy his prosperity. For both of them die! |
| 7All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. | 7All of man's labor is for nothing more than to fill his stomach--yet his 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? | 8So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? And what advantage does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive? |
| 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. | 9It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one's heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile--like chasing 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 has happened was foreordained, and what happens to a person was also foreknown. It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate because God is more powerful than he is. |
| 11The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? | 11The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him? |
| 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 no one knows what is best for a person during his life--during the few days of his fleeting life--for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth. |
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