American Standard Version (ASV) With Strong Codes

1. There is[H3426] an evil[H7451] which I have seen[H7200] under the sun[H8121], and it is heavy[H7227] upon men[H120]:

2. a man[H376] to whom God[H430] giveth[H5414] riches[H6239], wealth[H6239], and honor[H3519], so that he lacketh[H2638] nothing for his soul[H5315] of all that he desireth[H183], yet God[H430] giveth him not power[H7980] to eat[H398] thereof[H376], but an alien eateth[H398] it[H1892]; this is vanity, and it is an evil[H7451] disease[H2483].

3. If a man[H376] beget[H3205] a hundred[H3967] children[H2421], and live many[H7227] years[H8141], so that the days[H3117] of his years[H8141] are many[H7227], but his soul[H5315] be not filled[H7646] with good[H2896], and moreover he have no burial[H6900]; I say[H559], that an untimely birth[H5309] is better than he[H2896]:

4. for it cometh[H935] in vanity[H1892], and departeth[H3212] in darkness[H2822], and the name[H8034] thereof is covered[H3680] with darkness[H2822];

5. moreover it hath not seen[H7200] the sun[H8121] nor known[H3045] it[H2088]; this hath rest[H5183] rather than the other[H2088]:

6. yea[H432], though he live[H2421] a thousand[H505] years[H8141] twice[H6471] told[H7200], and yet enjoy no good[H2896], do not all go[H1980] to one[H259] place[H4725]?

7. All the labor[H5999] of man[H120] is for his mouth[H6310], and yet the appetite[H5315] is not filled[H4390].

8. For what advantage hath the wise[H2450] more[H3148] than the fool[H3684]? or what hath the poor[H6041] man[H3045], that knoweth how to walk[H1980] before the living[H2416]?

9. Better[H2896] is the sight[H4758] of the eyes[H5869] than the wandering[H1980] of the desire[H5315]: this also is vanity[H1892] and a striving[H7469] after wind[H7307].

10. Whatsoever hath been[H7121], the name thereof was given long ago[H3528]; and it is known[H3045] what man[H120] is[H3201]; neither can he contend[H1777] with him that is mightier than he[H8623].

11. Seeing there are[H3426] many[H7235] things[H1697] that increase[H7235] vanity[H1892], what is man[H120] the better[H3148]?

12. For who knoweth[H3045] what is good[H2896] for man[H120] in his life[H2416], all[H4557] the days[H3117] of his vain[H1892] life[H2416] which he spendeth[H6213] as a shadow[H6738]? for who can tell[H5046] a man[H120] what shall be after[H310] him under the sun[H8121]?