The Frustration of Desires

6 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind:^{(A) 2} those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that they lack nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous ill.^{(B) 3} A man may father a hundred children and live many years, but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life’s good things or has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.^{(C) 4} For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered; ⁵ moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. ⁶ Even though he should live a thousand years twice over yet enjoy no good—do not all go to one place?

⁷ All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied.^{(D) 8} For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living?^{(E) 9} Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.^(F)

¹⁰ Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what humans are and that they are not able to dispute with those who are stronger.^{(G) 11} The more words, the more vanity, so how is one the better? ¹² For who knows what is good for mortals while they live the few days of their vain life, which they pass like a shadow? For who can tell them what will be after them under the sun?^(H)