The Futility of Life

1There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it is great on man: 2A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 3If a man doth beget a hundred, and live many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he hath not had a grave, I have said, 'Better than he is the untimely birth.' 4For in vanity he came in, and in darkness he goeth, and in darkness his name is covered, 5Even the sun he hath not seen nor known, more rest hath this than that. 6And though he had lived a thousand years twice over, yet good he hath not seen; to the same place doth not every one go?

7All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not filled. 8For what advantage is to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knoweth to walk before the living? 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

10What is that which hath been? already is its name called, and it is known that it is man, and he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he. 11For there are many things multiplying vanity; what advantage is to man? 12For who knoweth what is good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?