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富有资财不得享用仍属虚空

我见日光之下有一宗祸患,重压在人身上。 就是人蒙神赐他资财、丰富、尊荣,以致他心里所愿的一样都不缺,只是神使他不能吃用,反有外人来吃用。这是虚空,也是祸患。

多子多寿亦属虚空

人若生一百个儿子,活许多岁数,以致他的年日甚多,心里却不得满享福乐,又不得埋葬,据我说,那不到期而落的胎比他倒好。 因为虚虚而来,暗暗而去,名字被黑暗遮蔽, 并且没有见过天日,也毫无知觉,这胎比那人倒享安息。 那人虽然活千年,再活千年,却不享福,众人岂不都归一个地方去吗?

人的劳碌都为口腹,心里却不知足。 这样看来,智慧人比愚昧人有什么长处呢?穷人在众人面前知道如何行有什么长处呢? 眼睛所看的比心里妄想的倒好。这也是虚空,也是捕风。

10 先前所有的,早已起了名,并知道何为人,他也不能与那比自己力大的相争。 11 加增虚浮的事既多,这与人有什么益处呢? 12 人一生虚度的日子就如影儿经过,谁知道什么与他有益呢?谁能告诉他身后在日光之下有什么事呢?

I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them,(A) and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.(B)

A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn(C) child is better off than he.(D) It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?(E)

Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
    yet their appetite is never satisfied.(F)
What advantage have the wise over fools?(G)
What do the poor gain
    by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
Better what the eye sees
    than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
    a chasing after the wind.(H)

10 Whatever exists has already been named,(I)
    and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
    with someone who is stronger.
11 The more the words,
    the less the meaning,
    and how does that profit anyone?

12 For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days(J) they pass through like a shadow?(K) Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

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.

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.

For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.

Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

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.

11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

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?