“Cursed^(B) is the ground^(C) because of you;
    through painful toil^(D) you will eat food from it
    all the days of your life.^(E)
18 It will produce thorns and thistles^(F) for you,
    and you will eat the plants of the field.^(G)
19 By the sweat of your brow^(H)
    you will eat your food^(I)
until you return to the ground,
    since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
    and to dust you will return.”^(J)

⁵ The earth is defiled^(A) by its people;
    they have disobeyed^(B) the laws,
violated the statutes
    and broken the everlasting covenant.^(C)
6 Therefore a curse^(D) consumes the earth;
    its people must bear their guilt.
Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up,^(E)
    and very few are left.

² “Meaningless! Meaningless!”
    says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
    Everything is meaningless.”^(A)

⁵ Even the doe in the field
    deserts her newborn fawn
    because there is no grass.^(A)
6 Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights^(B)
    and pant like jackals;
their eyes fail
    for lack of food.”^(C)