⁶There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind:^* ²those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that they lack nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous ill.^* ³A man may father a hundred children and live many years, but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life’s good things or has no 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; ⁵moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. ⁶Even though he should live a thousand years twice over yet enjoy no good—do not all go to one place?

⁷All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied.^* ⁸For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living?^* ⁹Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.^*

¹⁰Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what humans are and that they are not able to dispute with those who are stronger.^* ¹¹The more words, the more vanity, so how is one the better? ¹²For who knows what is good for mortals while they live the few days of their vain life, which they pass like a shadow? For who can tell them what will be after them under the sun?^*

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Cross references

*Eccl 5:13
*1 Kings 3:13; Ps 17:14; 73:7
*2 Kings 9:35; Eccl 4:3; Isa 14:19, 20; Jer 22:19
*Prov 16:26
*Eccl 2:15
*Eccl 1:14; 11:9
*Job 9:32; Eccl 1:9; Isa 45:9; Jer 49:19
*Ps 39:6; Eccl 8:7; Jas 4:14