There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked, and there are wicked people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

世上有一件虚空的事，就是义人所遭遇的，反照恶人所行的；又有恶人所遭遇的，反照义人所行的。我说，这也是虚空。

世上有一件虚空的事，就是义人所遭遇的，反而照恶人所做的；恶人所遭遇的，反而照义人所做的。我说，这也是虚空。

世上有一件虚空的事，就是义人所遭遇的，反而照恶人所做的；恶人所遭遇的，反而照义人所做的。我说，这也是虚空。

世上有一件虚空的事，就是义人遭受了恶人当受的报应，恶人却享受了义人该享的福乐。我认为这也是虚空。

在世上有一件虚空的事，就是义人照恶人所行的受报应，恶人照义人所行的得报偿。我说，这也是虚空。

有一件虚空的事发生在地上：临到义人的是照着恶人所行的，临到恶人的是照着义人所行的。我说：“这也是虚空！”

世上有一件虛空的事，就是義人所遭遇的，反照惡人所行的；又有惡人所遭遇的，反照義人所行的。我說，這也是虛空。

世上有一件虛空的事，就是義人所遭遇的，反而照惡人所做的；惡人所遭遇的，反而照義人所做的。我說，這也是虛空。

世上有一件虛空的事，就是義人所遭遇的，反而照惡人所做的；惡人所遭遇的，反而照義人所做的。我說，這也是虛空。

世上有一件虛空的事，就是義人遭受了惡人當受的報應，惡人卻享受了義人該享的福樂。我認為這也是虛空。

在世上有一件虛空的事，就是義人照惡人所行的受報應，惡人照義人所行的得報償。我說，這也是虛空。

有一件虛空的事、是地上常發生的：就是有義人、所遭遇的、是照惡人的行為應得的；又有惡人、所遭遇的、是照義人的行為所應得的：我說這也是虛空。

有一件虛空的事發生在地上：臨到義人的是照著惡人所行的，臨到惡人的是照著義人所行的。我說：「這也是虛空！」

世有虛空之事、有義人所遭、依惡人所作、有惡人所遇、依義人所為、我謂斯亦虛空、

天下事可為長太息者、有時義人遭難、幾同惡人、惡人蒙休、有類義人、我則曰、此屬於虛。

世間更有一患事、即有善人遭惡人所當遭者、有惡人遇善人所當遇者、我則曰、此亦屬於虛、

There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: the righteous who get what the wicked deserve, and the wicked who get what the righteous deserve. This too, I say, is meaningless.

Here’s something else on this earth that doesn’t have any meaning. Sometimes godly people get what sinful people should receive. And sinful people get what godly people should receive. Here’s what I’m telling you. That doesn’t have any meaning either.

And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!

There is a futility that is done on the earth: there are righteous people who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked people who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile.

There is futility which is done on the earth, that is, there are righteous people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the wicked. On the other hand, there are evil people to whom it happens according to the deeds of the righteous. I say that this too is futility.

There is a vanity which occurs on earth, that there are just men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth, that there are righteous men unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there are wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also is vanity.

There is a futility that is done on the earth: there are righteous people who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked people who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile.

There is a vanity which is done upon the earth; that there be just[ men], unto whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked; again, there be wicked[ men], to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous: I said that this also[ is] vanity.

Here is another enigma that occurs on earth: Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve. I said,“ This also is an enigma.”

There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing.

The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them.

And now we call the arrogant blessed. Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape.’”

Why do the wicked live, reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

But all this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God. Whether it is love or hate, man does not know; both are before him.It is the same for all, since the same event happens to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil, to the clean and the unclean, to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As the good one is, so is the sinner, and he who swears is as he who shuns an oath.This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches.All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence.For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning.

one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks,“ For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

“ How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out? That their calamity comes upon them? That God distributes pains in his anger?That they are like straw before the wind, and like chaff that the storm carries away?You say,‘ God stores up their iniquity for their children.’ Let him pay it out to them, that they may know it.Let their own eyes see their destruction, and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.For what do they care for their houses after them, when the number of their months is cut off?Will any teach God knowledge, seeing that he judges those who are on high?One dies in his full vigor, being wholly at ease and secure,his pails full of milk and the marrow of his bones moist.Another dies in bitterness of soul, never having tasted of prosperity.They lie down alike in the dust, and the worms cover them.“ Behold, I know your thoughts and your schemes to wrong me.For you say,‘ Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’Have you not asked those who travel the roads, and do you not accept their testimonythat the evil man is spared in the day of calamity, that he is rescued in the day of wrath?Who declares his way to his face, and who repays him for what he has done?When he is carried to the grave, watch is kept over his tomb.The clods of the valley are sweet to him; all mankind follows after him, and those who go before him are innumerable.How then will you comfort me with empty nothings? There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.”

“ They wrong the barren, childless woman, and do no good to the widow.Yet God prolongs the life of the mighty by his power; they rise up when they despair of life.He gives them security, and they are supported, and his eyes are upon their ways.They are exalted a little while, and then are gone; they are brought low and gathered up like all others; they are cut off like the heads of grain.If it is not so, who will prove me a liar and show that there is nothing in what I say?”

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler:

Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

It is all one; therefore I say,‘ He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’When disaster brings sudden death, he mocks at the calamity of the innocent.The earth is given into the hand of the wicked; he covers the faces of its judges— if it is not he, who then is it?