1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent among men--
1我見日光之下有一宗禍患重壓在人身上，
2a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.
2就是人蒙神賜他資財、豐富、尊榮，以致他心裡所願的一樣都不缺，只是 神使他不能吃用，反有外人來吃用。這是虛空，也是禍患。
3If a man fathers a hundred [children] and lives many years, however many they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a [proper] burial, [then] I say, 'Better the miscarriage than he,
3人若生一百個兒子，活許多歲數，以致他的年日甚多，心裡卻不得滿享福樂，又不得埋葬；據我說，那不到期而落的胎比他倒好。
4for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity.
4因為虛虛而來，暗暗而去，名字被黑暗遮蔽，
5'It never sees the sun and it never knows [anything]; it is better off than he.
5並且沒有見過天日，也毫無知覺；這胎，比那人倒享安息。
6'Even if the [other] man lives a thousand years twice and does not enjoy good things-- do not all go to one place?'
6那人雖然活千年，再活千年，卻不享福，眾人豈不都歸一個地方去麼？
7All a man's labor is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied.
7人的勞碌都為口腹，心裡卻不知足。
8For what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What [advantage] does the poor man have, knowing [how] to walk before the living?
8這樣看來，智慧人比愚昧人有甚麼長處呢？窮人在眾人面前知道如何行，有甚麼長處呢？
9What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.
9眼睛所看的比心裡妄想的倒好。這也是虛空，也是捕風。
10Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is.
10先前所有的，早已起了名，並知道何為人，他也不能與那比自己力大的相爭。
11For there are many words which increase futility. What [then] is the advantage to a man?
11加增虛浮的事既多，這與人有甚麼益處呢？
12For who knows what is good for a man during [his] lifetime, [during] the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
12人一生虛度的日子，就如影兒經過，誰知道甚麼與他有益呢？誰能告訴他身後在日光之下有甚麼事呢？