Yet, better than both is he who has never existed, Who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

The Vanity of Selfish Toil

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.

Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun:

There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, Nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, “For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.

I saw all the living who walk under the sun; They were with the second youth who stands in his place.

There was no end of all the people over whom he was made king; Yet those who come afterward will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Fear God, Keep Your Vows

Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil.

Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger of God that it was an error. Why should God be angry at your excuse and destroy the work of your hands?

The Vanity of Gain and Honor

If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.

Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.

He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.

When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes?

The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, Whether he eats little or much; But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.

There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.

But those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.

As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return, To go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor Which he may carry away in his hand.

And this also is a severe evil— Just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind?

All his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.

Here is what I have seen: It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage.

Wealth Is Not the Goal of Life

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.

If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he—

Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man,

even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place?

All the labor of man is for his mouth, And yet the soul is not satisfied.