Ecclesiastes 6 · קהלת

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:

a man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to eat of it but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

If a man begets a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul is not content with the good, and also that he has no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

For it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

Moreover it has not seen the sun, nor known anything: this has more comfort than the other.

For though he live a thousand years twice told, yet he has seen no good: do not all go to one place?

All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor man who knows how to make his way among the living?

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and a striving after wind.

That which has been was named long ago, and it is known that it is but man: nor may he contend with one who is mightier than he.

Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?