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 6,6 Pred 6,6
And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
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:
All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
and all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
Oh remember that my life is a breath:Mine eye shall no more see good.
and the dust returneth to the earth as it was, and the spirit returneth unto God who gave it.
and Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
Many there are that say, Who will show us any good?Jehovah, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.
and he said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah.
They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree shall be the days of my people, and my chosen shall {Hebrew: wear out.}long enjoy the work of their hands.
Thou hast put gladness in my heart,More than they have when their grain and their new wine are increased.
For I know that thou wilt bring me to death,And {Or, the house of meeting for &c.}to the house appointed for all living.
What man is he that desireth life,And loveth many days, that he may see good?
And inasmuch as it is {Greek: laid up for. Colossians 1:5; 2 Timothy 4:8}appointed unto men once to die, and after this cometh judgment;
There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days; for the child shall die a hundred years old, and the sinner being a hundred years old shall be accursed.
For he shall be like {Or, a tamarisk}the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited.