- I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men:
- God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
- A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
- It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded.
- Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man-
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- There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
- A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
- If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
- For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
- Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
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