So I again considered another futile thing on earth:

What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?

For everything there is an appointed time, and an appropriate time for every activity on earth:

I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile – like chasing the wind!

So I began to despair about all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so hard on earth.

What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?

I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.

Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.

Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:

For like the crackling of quick-burning thorns under a cooking pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This kind of folly also is useless.

This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth, and it is a great burden to me:

I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes.

So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.

Enjoy life with your beloved wife during all the days of your fleeting life that God has given you on earth during all your fleeting days; for that is your reward in life and in your burdensome work on earth.

What exists now is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing truly new on earth.

Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: “All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless – like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”

So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile – like chasing the wind.

So I loathed all the fruit of my effort, for which I worked so hard on earth, because I must leave it behind in the hands of my successor.

Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so wisely on earth! This also is futile!

But better than both is the one who has not been born and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth.