There is an evil which I have seen under the sun; and it weighs heavily on man.

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it besets many men:

A man to whom God grants wealth, possessions and honor, and lacks nothing for himself of all he desires, yet God does not give him the power to eat thereof but instead a stranger will enjoy them; this is vanity and an evil disease.

a man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to eat of it but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

a man whom G-d gives wealth, and possessions, and honor, and his soul lacks nothing of all that it desires; but G-d does not grant him the power to eat of it [(and give charity of it and enjoy it.)] This is vanity and a sore evil.

If a man begets a hundred [children], and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul is not sated of goodness, and moreover he has no burial; I say, that better off than he, is the stillborn child.

If a man begets a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul is not content with the good, and also that he has no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

If a man beget a hundred [sons], and live many years, and the days of his years suffice [for all manner of good] — if his soul not be sated of that good, [(the man not rejoicing in his lot)], and burial, also not be his [(all of these having obtained with King Achav)], then I say that better than he is the still-born, [(who had never seen good nor lusted for it)].

For he [the stillborn child] comes in vain and departs in darkness; and its name shrouded in darkness.

For it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

For in vanity he comes and in darkness he goes and in darkness his name is covered.

Though it never saw the sun, nor knew of it; its contentment is greater than his.

Moreover it has not seen the sun, nor known anything: this has more comfort than the other.

He has neither seen the sun nor known it. This one [(the still-born)] is more "gratified" than the other.

Though he live a thousand years twice over, and enjoy no goodness; indeed, to one place, they all go.

For though he live a thousand years twice told, yet he has seen no good: do not all go to one place?

And even if he [(this wealthy one)] lived a thousand years twice over and had seen no good [i.e., had not rejoiced in his wealth], do not all [(both he and the pauper)], go to the same place [in the end]?

All man’s labor is to fill his mouth; yet his appetite is never filled.

All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

All the toil of man is for his "mouth" [i.e., that he enjoy both this world and the world to come]; and shall the desire [(for this world as well as for the next)] also not be fulfilled [by this wealthy man]?

What advantage has the wise man over the fool? What disadvantage has the poor man who knows how to cope with [the problems of] life?

For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor man who knows how to make his way among the living?

For what advantage has this wise man over the fool? What does the poor man lack in respect to him]? He [(the poor man)] also knows how to walk among the living!

Better is what the eyes actually see, than the imagination of the soul; this too is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and a striving after wind.

[It would have been] better [(for this wealthy man to behold his wealth and enjoy it)] with the vision of his eyes than [to enjoy food and drink], which courses through the body. This, too, is a vanity and a breaking of the spirit [accorded the wicked].

Whatever has been has already been named, and it is foreknown what man is; he cannot contend with one who is mightier than he.

That which has been was named long ago, and it is known that it is but man: nor may he contend with one who is mightier than he.

What was [i.e., the distinction that this man enjoyed in his lifetime] was already called by name [i.e., acknowledged, and now it is past,] and it is known that he is [only] a man [and not a god] and that he cannot contend with the angel of death], who is stronger than he.

For there are many things that increase vanity; in what way is man better for it?

Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

For there are many [inane] things [which he occupied himself with in his lifetime], which increase vanity; and what advantage [do they prove] for a man [when he dies]?

For who knows what is good for man in [his] life, in the counted days of his vanity, which he spends as a [mere] shadow; for who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun.

For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

For who knows what is good for a man [to do] in his lifetime [(to stand for him in the eternal world)], the few days of his life of vanity, so that he should do them [in this time, which is] as [short as a passing] shadow? For who will tell a man how his wealth will fare that he amassed unscrupulously for his sons] after him under the sun?