1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men: 2a man to whom Elohim gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet Elohim gives him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eats it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 3If a man begets a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul has not enough of good, and moreover he has no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he; 4for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness; 5moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it; this has gratification rather than the other; 6yes, though he lives a thousand years twice told, and enjoys no good; do not all go to one place? 7All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. 8For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? Or the poor man that has understanding, in walking before the living? 9Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind. 10Whatever comes into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier than he. 11Seeing there are many words that increase vanity, what is man the better? 12For who knows what is good for man in his life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
איֵשׁ רָעָה אֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ; וְרַבָּה הִיא עַל הָאָדָם. באִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִתֶּן לוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים עֹשֶׁר וּנְכָסִים וְכָבוֹד וְאֵינֶנּוּ חָסֵר לְנַפְשׁוֹ מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר יִתְאַוֶּה וְלֹא יַשְׁלִיטֶנּוּ הָאֱלֹהִים לֶאֱכֹל מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי אִישׁ נָכְרִי יֹאכְלֶנּוּ: זֶה הֶבֶל וָחֳלִי רָע הוּא. גאִם יוֹלִיד אִישׁ מֵאָה וְשָׁנִים רַבּוֹת יִחְיֶה וְרַב שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יְמֵי שָׁנָיו וְנַפְשׁוֹ לֹא תִשְׂבַּע מִן הַטּוֹבָה וְגַם קְבוּרָה לֹא הָיְתָה לּוֹ אָמַרְתִּי טוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ הַנָּפֶל. דכִּי בַהֶבֶל בָּא וּבַחֹשֶׁךְ יֵלֵךְ; וּבַחֹשֶׁךְ שְׁמוֹ יְכֻסֶּה. הגַּם שֶׁמֶשׁ לֹא רָאָה וְלֹא יָדָע; נַחַת לָזֶה מִזֶּה. ווְאִלּוּ חָיָה אֶלֶף שָׁנִים פַּעֲמַיִם וְטוֹבָה לֹא רָאָה הֲלֹא אֶל מָקוֹם אֶחָד הַכֹּל הוֹלֵךְ. זכָּל עֲמַל הָאָדָם לְפִיהוּ; וְגַם הַנֶּפֶשׁ לֹא תִמָּלֵא. חכִּי מַה יּוֹתֵר לֶחָכָם מִן הַכְּסִיל; מַה לֶּעָנִי יוֹדֵעַ לַהֲלֹךְ נֶגֶד הַחַיִּים. טטוֹב מַרְאֵה עֵינַיִם מֵהֲלָךְ נָפֶשׁ; גַּם זֶה הֶבֶל וּרְעוּת רוּחַ. ימַה שֶּׁהָיָה כְּבָר נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ וְנוֹדָע אֲשֶׁר הוּא אָדָם; וְלֹא יוּכַל לָדִין עִם שֶׁתַּקִּיף מִמֶּנּוּ. יאכִּי יֵשׁ דְּבָרִים הַרְבֵּה מַרְבִּים הָבֶל; מַה יֹּתֵר לָאָדָם. יבכִּי מִי יוֹדֵעַ מַה טּוֹב לָאָדָם בַּחַיִּים מִסְפַּר יְמֵי חַיֵּי הֶבְלוֹ וְיַעֲשֵׂם כַּצֵּל: אֲשֶׁר מִי יַגִּיד לָאָדָם מַה יִּהְיֶה אַחֲרָיו תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 