20FOR NOT [SURELY] MUCH HE WILL REMEMBER <OBJ.> [THE] DAYS OF LIFE HIS FOR <THE> GOD [IS] KEEPING BUSY WITH [THE] JOY OF HEART HIS 20For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
1THERE [IS] AN EVIL WHICH I HAVE SEEN UNDER THE SUN AND [IS] GREAT IT ON <THE> HUMANKIND The Futility of Life 1There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:
2ANYONE WHOM HE GIVES TO <THE> HIM <THE> GOD WEALTH AND RICHES AND HONOR AND NOT HE [IS] LACKING TO APPETITE HIS ANY OF ALL THAT HE DESIRES AND NOT HE GIVES POWER HIM <THE> GOD TO EAT FROM IT FOR A MAN FOREIGN HE EATS IT THIS [IS] FUTILITY AND [IS] AN AFFLICTION AN EVIL IT 2God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.
3IF HE WILL FATHER ANYONE ONE HUNDRED [CHILDREN] AND YEARS MANY HE WILL LIVE AND [WILL BE] MANY [THAT] WHICH <THEY> WILL BE [THE] DAYS OF YEARS HIS AND SELF HIS NOT IT WILL BE SATISFIED FROM THE GOOD AND ALSO BURIAL NOT IT BELONGED TO <THE> HIM I SAY [IS] GOOD MORE THAN HIM THE MISCARRIAGE 3A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
4FOR IN <THE> FUTILITY IT CAME AND IN <THE> DARKNESS IT WILL GO AND IN <THE> DARKNESS NAME ITS IT IS COVERED 4For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.
5ALSO [THE] SUN NOT IT SAW AND NOT IT KNEW REST [BELONGS] TO THIS ONE MORE THAN THIS ONE 5The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,
6AND IF HE LIVED A THOUSAND YEARS TWO TIMES AND GOOD NOT HE SAW ¿ NOT TO A PLACE ONE [ARE] <THE> ALL GOING 6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
7ALL [THE] TOIL OF <THE> HUMANKIND [IS] FOR MOUTH HIS AND ALSO THE APPETITE NOT IT WILL BE FILLED 7All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.*NoteCloseHebrew filled
8FOR WHAT? ADVANTAGE [BELONGS] TO THE WISE PERSON MORE THAN THE FOOL WHAT? [BELONGS] TO THE POOR [PERSON] [WHO] KNOWS TO WALK BEFORE THE LIVING 8What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?
9[IS] GOOD [THE] SIGHT OF EYES MORE THAN GOING DESIRE ALSO THIS [IS] FUTILITY AND STRIVING OF WIND 9Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
10WHATEVER [THAT] WHICH <IT> HAS BEEN ALREADY IT HAS BEEN NAMED NAME ITS AND [IS] KNOWN [THAT] WHICH HE HUMANKIND [IS] AND NOT HE IS ABLE TO CONTEND WITH [ONE] WHO [IS] MIGHTY MORE THAN HIM 10Whatever exists was named long ago, and it is known what man is; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
11FOR THERE [ARE] WORDS CERTAINLY <TO INCREASE> THEY INCREASE FUTILITY WHAT? ADVANTAGE [BELONGS] TO <THE> PERSON 11For the more words, the more futility— and how does that profit anyone?
12FOR WHO? [IS] KNOWING WHAT? [IS] GOOD FOR <THE> PERSON IN <THE> LIFE [THE] NUMBER OF [THE] DAYS OF [THE] LIFE OF FUTILITY HIS AND HE SPENDS THEM LIKE <THE> SHADOW THAT WHO? WILL HE TELL TO <THE> PERSON WHAT? WILL IT BE AFTER HIM UNDER THE SUN 12For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?