| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: | 1I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: |
| 2A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. | 2God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. |
| 3If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. | 3A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. |
| 4For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. | 4It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. |
| 5Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other. | 5Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man-- |
| 6Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place? | 6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place? |
| 7All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. | 7Everyone's toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied. |
| 8For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? | 8What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others? |
| 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. | 9Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. |
| 10That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. | 10Whatever exists has already been named, and what humanity is has been known; no one can contend with someone who is stronger. |
| 11Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? | 11The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone? |
| 12For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? | 12For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone? |
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