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The Futility of Life

¹ There is an ^(C1)evil which I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men:² a man to whom God has ^(C1)given riches and wealth and honor, so that he ^(C2)lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God has not given him the power or capacity to enjoy them all those things which are gifts from God, but a stranger in whom he has no interest succeeds him and enjoys them. This is vanity and it is a cause of great distress. ^(VR1)3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they may be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he is not respected and is not given a proper ^(C1)burial he is not laid to rest in the sepulcher of his fathers, then I say, "Better ^(C2)the miscarriage than he, ^(VR1)4 for the miscarriage comes in futility (in vain) and passes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity.⁵ "It has not seen the sun nor had any knowledge; yet it has more rest and is better off than he.⁶ "Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice over and yet has seen no good and experienced no enjoyment—^(C1)do not both go to one place the grave?"

^7 (C1)All the labor of man is for his mouth for self-preservation and enjoyment, and yet the desire of his soul is not satisfied. ^(VR1)8 For ^(C1)what advantage has the wise man over the fool for being worldly-wise is not the secret to happiness? What advantage has the poor man who has learned how to walk publicly among the living with men's eyes on him; for being poor is not the secret to happiness either?⁹ What the ^(C1)eyes see enjoying what is available is better than craving what the soul desires. This too is ^(C2)futility and chasing after the wind.

¹⁰ Whatever ^(C1)exists has already been named long ago, and it is known what a frail being man is; for he ^(C2)cannot dispute with Him who is mightier than he.¹¹ For there are many other words that increase futility. What then is the advantage for a man?¹² For who ^(F1)limited by human wisdom knows what is good for man during his lifetime, during the few days of his futile life? He spends them like a shadow staying busy, but achieving nothing of lasting value. For who can tell a man ^(C1)what will happen after him to his work, his treasure, his plans under the sun after his life is over?