我见日光之下有一件祸患重压在人身上，
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
2就是人蒙神赐他财富、资产和尊荣，以致他心里所愿的一样都不缺，只是神使他不能享用，反被外人享用。这是虚空，也是祸患。A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3人若生一百个儿子，活许多岁数；他即使寿命很长，心里却不因福乐而满足，又不得埋葬；我说，那流掉的胎比他倒好。If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4因为这胎虚虚而来，暗暗而去，名字被黑暗遮蔽，For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5而且没有见过天日，什么都不知道，这胎比那人倒享安息。Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
6那人虽然活千年，再活千年，却不能享福；众人岂不都归同一个地方去吗？Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
7人的劳碌都为口腹，心里却不知足。All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
8智慧人比愚昧人有什么益处呢？困苦人在众人面前知道如何行，有什么益处呢？For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
9眼睛所看的比心里妄想的倒好。这也是虚空，也是捕风。Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
10先前所有的，早已起了名，人早知道人是如何的，不能与比自己强壮的相争。That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
11话语多，虚空也增多，这对人有什么益处呢？Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12人一生虚度的日子，如影儿经过，谁知道什么才是对他有益呢？谁能告诉他身后在日光之下会发生什么事呢？For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?