1我看见日光之下有一件可悲的事，重重地压在人身上： 2上帝赐给人财富和尊荣，叫他拥有所渴望的一切，却使他无法享用，倒让别人享用。这是虚空，是极大的悲哀。 3人若有一百个儿子，并且长寿，但心中却从未得到满足，死后又不得安葬。唉！这样的人还不如流产的胎儿。 4这胎儿在虚空中来，在黑暗中去，名字隐没在黑暗中， 5没有见过天日，一无所知，然而这胎儿比那人更享安息。 6就算那人活了千年，又活千年，却不能享受福乐，又如何呢？世人最终岂不都同归一处吗？ 7人人为口腹劳碌，却永不满足。 8那么，智者比愚人有什么优势呢？贫穷人即使懂得如何处世，又有什么益处呢？ 9满足于眼前所有的，胜过心中贪想的。这也是虚空，如同捕风。 10一切存在的事物都已有了名字，人的本质也被识透了；人无法与比他更强的较量。 11其实话越多，越虚空，这对人又有什么益处？ 12人生短暂虚空，如影飞逝，有谁知道什么对人有益？谁能告诉人死后日光之下会发生什么事？
1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3¶ If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he. 4For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. 5Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
6¶ Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
7All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.6.7 appetite: Heb. soul 8For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
9¶ Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.6.9 than…: Heb. than the walking of the soul 10That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
11¶ Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? 12For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?6.12 all…: Heb. the number of the days of the life of his vanity
