“The fate of the fool will overtake me also.
    What then do I gain by being wise?”^(A)
I said to myself,
    “This too is meaningless.”
¹⁶ For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered;^(B)
    the days have already come when both have been forgotten.^(C)
Like the fool, the wise too must die!^(D)

¹⁰ Whoever loves money never has enough;
    whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
    This too is meaningless.

The race is not to the swift
    or the battle to the strong,^(A)
nor does food come to the wise^(B)
    or wealth to the brilliant
    or favor to the learned;
but time and chance^(C) happen to them all.^(D)

As fish are caught in a cruel net,
    or birds are taken in a snare,
so people are trapped by evil times^(E)
    that fall unexpectedly upon them.^(F)