¹⁸ I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me.^{(A) 19} And who knows whether that person will be wise or foolish?^(B) Yet they will have control over all the fruit of my toil into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless.

²¹ For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune.

²⁶ To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom,^(A) knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth^(B) to hand it over to the one who pleases God.^(C) This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

² 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)