The Futility of Life

1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 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. 4For he comes in with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. 5Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this has more rest than the other. 6Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet has he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

7All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. 8For what has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor, that knows to walk before the living? 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

10That which has been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he. 11Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? 12For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?