16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is awickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

17 I said 1to myself, “aGod will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a btime for every 2matter and for every deed is there.

18 I said 1to myself concerning the sons of men, “God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but abeasts.”

19 aFor the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts 1is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is 2vanity.

20 All go to the same place. All came from the adust and all return to the dust.

21 Who knows that the abreath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?

22 I have seen that anothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see bwhat will occur after him?