There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:
a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul be not filled with good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he:
for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;
moreover it hath not seen the sun {Or, neither had any knowledge}nor known it; {Or, it is better with this than with the other}this hath rest rather than the other:
yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoy no good, do not all go to one place?
All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? {Or, or the poor man that hath understanding, in walking before the living}or what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
{Or, Whatsoever he be, his name was given him long ago, and it is known that he is man}Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is known what {Hebrew: Adam. See Genesis 2:7.}man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.
Seeing there are many {Or, words}things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
For who knoweth what is good for man in his life, {Hebrew: the number of days.}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?
Querverweise zu Prediger 6,2 Pred 6,2
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor — this is the gift of God.
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit;
I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared;
I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that were before me in Jerusalem;
I gathered me also silver and gold, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I gat me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the sons of men, {Or, concubines very many The meaning of the Hebrew is very uncertain.}musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom {Or, stood by me}remained with me.
And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced because of all my labor; and this was my portion from all my labor.
The fruit of thy ground, and all thy labors, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway;
Then I saw all labor and every {Or, successful}skilful work, that {Or, it cometh of a man's rivalry with his neighbor}for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches and honor, so that there {Or, hath not been}shall not be any among the kings like unto thee, all thy days.
For Jehovah thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills;
a land of wheat and barley, and vines and fig-trees and pomegranates; a land of olive-trees and honey;
a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack anything in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig copper.
And thou shalt eat and be full, and thou shalt bless Jehovah thy God for the good land which he hath given thee.
The sojourner that is in the midst of thee shall mount up above thee higher and higher; and thou shalt come down lower and lower.
There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, saith he, do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.
And Jehovah magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.
When ye go, ye shall come unto a people secure, and the land is large; for God hath given it into your hand, a place where there is no want of anything that is in the earth.
Surely every man walketh {Or, as a shadow}in a vain show;Surely they are disquieted {Or, for vanity}in vain:He heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind?
And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honor: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.
Their houses are safe from fear,Neither is the rod of God upon them.
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not;Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
They send forth their little ones like a flock,And their children dance.
They {Hebrew: lift up the voice.}sing to the timbrel and harp,And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
They spend their days in prosperity,And in a moment they go down to Sheol.
And they say unto God, Depart from us;For we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
Our inheritance is turned unto strangers,Our houses unto aliens.
And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thy heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor the life of them that hate thee, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:
From {Or, men who are thy hand}men by thy hand, O Jehovah,From men {Or, whose portion in life is of the world}of the world, whose portion is in this life,And whose belly thou fillest with thy treasure:They are satisfied with children,And leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are {Hebrew: sprinkled.}here and there upon him, and he knoweth it not.
O thou king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the kingdom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty:
Their eyes stand out with fatness: {Or, The imagination of their heart overflow}They have more than heart could wish.
And I will say to my {Or, life}soul, {Or, life}Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, be merry.
But God said unto him, Thou foolish one, this night {Greek: they require thy soul.}is thy {Or, life}soul required of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be?