There isיֵשׁan evilרָעָהthatאֲשֶׁרI have seenרָאִיתִיunderתַּחַתthe sun,הַשָּׁמֶשׁand it is greatוְרַבָּה הִיאupon the human being:עַל הָאָדָם
a manאִישׁto whomאֲשֶׁר לוֹElohimהָאֱלֹהִיםgivesיִתֶּןrichesעֹשֶׁרand possessionsוּנְכָסִיםand honor,וְכָבוֹדand he is notוְאֵינֶנּוּlackingחָסֵרfor his soulלְנַפְשׁוֹanything of allמִכֹּלthatאֲשֶׁרhe desires;יִתְאַוֶּהbutוְElohimהָאֱלֹהִיםdoes notלֹאgive him powerיַשְׁלִיטֶנּוּto eatלֶאֱכֹלfrom it,מִמֶּנּוּforכִּיa foreignerאִישׁ נָכְרִיeats it.יֹאכֲלֶנּוּThisזֶה הוּאis vaporהֶבֶלand a badרָעsickness.וָחֳלִי
Ifאִםa manאִישׁfathersיוֹלִידa hundredמֵאָהand livesוְ יִחְיֶהmany years,שָׁנִים רַבּוֹתand manyוְרַבareשֶׁיִּהְיוּthe daysיְמֵיof his years,שָׁנָיוbut his soulוְנַפְשׁוֹis notלֹאsatisfiedתִשְׂבַּעwith good,מִן הַטּוֹבָהand alsoוְגַםhe has hadהָיְתָה לּוֹnoלֹאburial,קְבוּרָהI say,אָמַרְתִּיbetterטוֹבthan heמִמֶּנּוּis the stillborn.הַנָּפֶל
Forכִּיin vaporבַהֶבֶלit came,בָּאand in darknessוּבַחֹשֶׁךְit goes,יֵלֵךְand with darknessוּבַחֹשֶׁךְits nameשְׁמוֹis covered.יְכֻסֶּה
Alsoגַּםit has notלֹאseenרָאָהthe sunשֶׁמֶשׁnorוְלֹאknown it;יָדָעthere is more restנַחַתfor this oneלָזֶהthan for that one.מִזֶּה
And even ifוְאִלּוּhe livedחָיָהa thousand yearsאֶלֶף שָׁנִיםtwiceפַּעֲמַיִםand did notוְ לֹאseeרָאָהgood,טוֹבָהdo notהֲלֹאallהַכֹּלgoהוֹלֵךְto oneאֶל אֶחָדplace?מָקוֹם
Allכָּלthe toilעֲמַלof the human beingהָאָדָםis for his mouth,לְפִיהוּand yetוְגַםthe appetiteהַנֶּפֶשׁis notלֹאfilled.תִמָּלֵא
Forכִּיwhatמַהmore hasיּוֹתֵרthe wise manלֶחָכָםthan the senseless?מִן הַכְּסִילWhat hasמַהthe afflicted oneלֶּעָנִיwho knowsיוֹדֵעַhow to walkלַהֲלֹךְbeforeנֶגֶדthe living?הַחַיִּים
Betterטוֹבis the sightמַרְאֵהof the eyesעֵינַיִםthan the goingמֵהֲלָךְof the soul.נָפֶשׁThis tooגַּם זֶהis vaporהֶבֶלand strivingוּרְעוּתafter wind.רוּחַ
Whateverמַה שֶּׁhas been,הָיָהalreadyכְּבָרits nameשְׁמוֹhas been called;נִקְרָאand it is knownוְנוֹדָעthatאֲשֶׁרhe isהוּאa human being,אָדָםand he cannotוְלֹא יוּכַלcontendלָדִיןwith the one whoעִם שֶׁis strongerתַּקִּיףthan he.מִמֶּנּוּ
Forכִּיthere areיֵשׁmanyהַרְבֵּהwordsדְּבָרִיםthat increaseמַרְבִּיםvapor;הָבֶלwhatמַהmore is thereיֹּתֵרfor the human being?לָאָדָם
Forכִּיwhoמִיknowsיוֹדֵעַwhatמַהis goodטּוֹבfor the human beingלָאָדָםin life,בַּחַיִּיםduring the numberמִסְפַּרof the daysיְמֵיof his lifeחַיֵּיof vapor,הֶבְלוֹwhich he spendsוְיַעֲשֵׂםlike a shadow?כַּצֵּלForאֲשֶׁרwhoמִיwill tellיַגִּידthe human beingלָאָדָםwhatמַהwill beיִּהְיֶהafter himאַחֲרָיוunderתַּחַתthe sun?הַשָּׁמֶשׁ