1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is widespread among men:2 A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, 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 foreigner devours it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.3 If a man begets a hundred, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul is not filled with goodness, and there is also for him no burial; I say, a miscarriage is better than he;4 for it comes in with vanity and goes out in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.5 Also it has not seen the sun, nor known anything. This one has more rest than the other.6 Yea, though he lives twice a thousand years, yet he has seen no goodness. Do not all go to one place?7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the soul is not satisfied.8 For what has the wise more than the fool? What does the poor have, who knows how to walk before the living?9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This is also vanity and striving of spirit.10 That which one is, he has been named already, and it is known that he is man. And he is not able to contend with Him who is mightier than he.11 Since there are many things that increase vanity, how is man any better?12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the 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?

1 Also another yuel is, which Y siy vndur the sunne; and certis it is oft vsid anentis men.2 A man is, to whom God yaf richessis, and catel, and onour; and no thing failith to his soule of alle thingis which he desirith; and God yyueth not power to hym, that he ete therof, but a straunge man shal deuoure it. This is vanyte, and a greet wretchidnesse.3 If a man gendrith an hundrid fre sones, and lyueth many yeris, and hath many daies of age, and his soule vsith not the goodis of his catel, and wantith biriyng; Y pronounce of this man, that a deed borun child is betere than he.4 For he cometh in veyn, and goith to derknessis; and his name schal be don a wei bi foryetyng.5 He siy not the sunne, nether knew dyuersyte of good and of yuel;6 also thouy he lyueth twei thousynde yeeris, and vsith not goodis; whether alle thingis hasten not to o place?7 Al the trauel of a man is in his mouth, but the soule of hym schal not be fillid with goodis.8 What hath a wijs man more than a fool? and what hath a pore man, no but that he go thidur, where is lijf?9 It is betere to se that, that thou coueitist, than to desire that, that thou knowist not; but also this is vanyte, and presumpcioun of spirit.10 The name of hym that schal come, is clepid now, and it is knowun, that he is a man, and he mai not stryue in doom ayens a strongere than hym silf.11 Wordis ben ful manye, and han myche vanyte in dispuytinge.