¹² For who knows what is good for man in life, ^[a]all the days of his ^[b]vain life which he passes like ^(A)a shadow? ^(B)Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?

The Vanity of Selfish Toil

⁴ Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

¹⁷ Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distressing to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind.

¹⁴ I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.