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|There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
|There is an earthy evil that I have seen to be common among men.
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|2
|A 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.
|When God gives a man a surplus of wealth, Treasure, and honor, so much that he wants for nothing, and God denies him the ability to enjoy it; strangers enjoy it in his stead. This is vanity, and is a great evil.
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|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.
|If a man has a hundred children, and lives many years, his years may be laboriously long, his heart may lack gratitude, and he may not be buried. An still birth is better than such a man.
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|4
|For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
|It comes in vanity and leaves in darkness, and its name shall be covered in darkness.
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|5
|Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
|It has not seen the sun, and does not know of such a thing. It has more rest than the man.
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|6
|Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
|A man may live two thousand years, but what use is it if he never knows happiness. Don't we all go into the ground after we die?|This reflects a missing concept, namely heaven and hell. Hell denial?
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|7
|All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
|All of mans work is to feed himself, but he still grows hungry.
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|8
|For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
|What has a wise man got that a fool lacks? What does a poor man have if he knows to walk before the living?
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|9
|Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
|What I see in the world is better than what my heart desires. This too is Vanity and Vexation of the spirit.
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|10
|That 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.
|Whatever exists already has a name, and man is one such thing. Man cannot contend with forces mightier than he is.
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|11
|Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
|There is so much that increases vanity. Does any of it make man better?
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|12
|For 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?
|Who really knows what is best for man, during the vain life that he spends like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will follow him here on earth?
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==Chapter 7==