| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: | 1Here is a tragedy I have observed under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity: |
| 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, wealth, and honor so that he lacks nothing of all he desires for himself, but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a sickening tragedy. |
| 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. | 3A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives, if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. |
| 4For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. | 4For he comes in futility and he goes in darkness, and his name is shrouded in darkness. |
| 5Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. | 5Though a stillborn child does not see the sun and is not conscious, it has more rest than he. |
| 6Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place? | 6And if he lives a thousand years twice, but does not experience happiness, do not both go to the same place? |
| 7All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. | 7All man's labor is for his stomach, yet the 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? | 8What advantage then does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage is there for the poor person who knows how to conduct himself before others? |
| 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. | 9Better what the eyes see than wandering desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of 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 exists was given its name long ago, and it is known what man is. But he is not able to contend with the One stronger than he. |
| 11The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? | 11For when there are many words, they increase futility. What is the advantage for man? |
| 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 who knows what is good for man in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow? Who can tell man what will happen after him under the sun? |
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