1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men (i.e. humanity):
2 A man to whom the true God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for himself of all that he desires,
yet God gives him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many,
and himself be not satisfied with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4 For he comes (i.e. in the untimely birth of v.3) in with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5 Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this has more rest than the other.
6 Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet has he seen no good: do not all go to one place? (I.e. Sheol.)
7 All the toil of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not filled.
8 For what [advantage] has a wise one (or a sage) more than a fool? (= fat, and then dense, or stupid, which comes of it, showing itself in impiety) what has a wretched one, that knows to walk before the living?
9 Better is what is seen by the eyes than what is pursued by the soul: this is also vanity and feeding on the wind.
B O1 6:10-7:14. Man and God.
P1 7:15-29. Personal proving.
O2 8:1-8. Man. In his wisdom.
P2 8:9,10. Personal observation.
O3 8:11-13. Man. His evil-doing.
P3 8:14-9:1. Personal observation.
O4 9:2-10. Man. In his end.
P4 9:11-10:15. Personal inspection.
O5 10:16-12:8. Man. In his different portions.
P5 12:9-12. Personal information.
O1 Q 6:10. Man and God.
R 6:11-7:10. Good. Q. What is it/
R 7:11,12. Good. Ans. What it is.
Q 7:13,14. God and man.
10 That which has been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with Him that is mightier than he. ("What is he who has been?. Long ago his name was given; As it is understood [that name was], It was-Adam": which means vegetable mold, made in the likeness of Elohim, Gen. 1:27; 2:7; 5:1,2. Made of "earth" he returns to earth [1 Cor. 15:47]: i.e. "vanity. This book is a comment on Ps. 144:4. Cp. Pss. 39; 49; 62.)
11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12 For who knows what is good for man in this life, the numbered days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?