Don't Depend on Wealth
1 There is something else terribly unfair, and it troubles everyone on earth. 2 God may give you everything you want—money, property, and wealth. Then God doesn't let you enjoy it, and someone you don't even know gets it all. That's senseless and terribly unfair!
3 You may live a long time and have a hundred children. But a child born dead is better off than you, unless you enjoy life and have a decent burial. 4-5 That child will never live to see the sun or to have a name, and it will go straight to the world of darkness. But it will still find more rest than you, 6 even if you live two thousand years and don't enjoy life. As you know, we all end up in the same place.
7 We struggle just to have enough to eat, but we are never satisfied. 8 We may be sensible, yet we are no better off than a fool. And if we are poor, it still doesn't do us any good to try to live right. 9 It's better to enjoy what we have than to always want something else, because that makes no more sense than chasing the wind.
10 Everything that happens was decided long ago. We humans know what we are like, and we can't argue with God, because he is too strong for us. 11 The more we talk, the less sense we make, so what good does it do to talk? 12 Life is short and meaningless, and it fades away like a shadow. Who knows what is best for us? Who knows what will happen after we are gone?
1 There is an euill, which I sawe vnder the sunne, and it is much among men: 2 A man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth: but God giueth him not power to eate thereof, but a strange man shall eate it vp: this is vanitie, and this is an euill sicknesse. 3 If a man beget an hundreth children and liue many yeeres, and the dayes of his yeeres be multiplied, and his soule be not satisfied with good things, and he be not buried, I say that an vntimely fruite is better then he. 4 For he commeth into vanitie and goeth into darkenesse: and his name shall be couered with darkenesse. 5 Also he hath not seene ye sunne, nor knowen it: therefore this hath more rest then the other. 6 And if he had liued a thousand yeeres twise tolde, and had seene no good, shall not all goe to one place? 7 All the labour of man is for his mouth: yet the soule is not filled. 8 For what hath the wise man more then the foole? what hath the poore that knoweth how to walke before the liuing? 9 The sight of ye eye is better then to walke in ye lustes: this also is vanitie, and vexation of spirit. 10 What is that that hath bene? the name thereof is nowe named: and it is knowen that it is man: and he cannot striue with him that is stronger then he.