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.

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.

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.

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 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 futile life I have seen everything: there is a righteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in spite of his evil.

The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also knew that one fate comes to them both.

So now we consider the arrogant to be fortunate. Not only do those who commit wickedness prosper, they even test God and escape.”

Why do the wicked continue to live, growing old and becoming powerful?

For I envied the arrogant; I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: the righteous, the wise, and their works are in God’s hands. People don’t know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them.Everything is the same for everyone: there is one fate for the righteous and the wicked, for the good and the bad, for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath.This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live— after that they go to the dead.

Look at them— the wicked! They are always at ease, and they increase their wealth.Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing?For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning.

There is a person without a companion, without even a son or brother, and though there is no end to all his struggles, his eyes are still not content with riches.“ So who am I struggling for,” he asks,“ and depriving myself from good?” This too is futile and a miserable task.

How often is the lamp of the wicked put out? Does disaster come on them? Does He apportion destruction in His anger?Are they like straw before the wind, like chaff a storm sweeps away?God reserves a person’s punishment for his children. Let God repay the person himself, so that he may know it.Let his own eyes see his demise; let him drink from the Almighty’s wrath!For what does he care about his family once he is dead, when the number of his months has run out?Can anyone teach God knowledge, since He judges the exalted ones?One person dies in excellent health, completely secure and at ease.His body is well fed, and his bones are full of marrow.Yet another person dies with a bitter soul, having never tasted prosperity.But they both lie in the dust, and worms cover them.I know your thoughts very well, the schemes you would wrong me with.For you say,“ Where now is the nobleman’s house?” and“ Where are the tents the wicked lived in?”Have you never consulted those who travel the roads? Don’t you accept their reports?Indeed, the evil man is spared from the day of disaster, rescued from the day of wrath.Who would denounce his behavior to his face? Who would repay him for what he has done?He is carried to the grave, and someone keeps watch over his tomb.The dirt on his grave is sweet to him. Everyone follows behind him, and those who go before him are without number.So how can you offer me such futile comfort? Your answers are deceptive.

They prey on the childless woman who is unable to conceive, and do not deal kindly with the widow.Yet God drags away the mighty by His power; when He rises up, they have no assurance of life.He gives them a sense of security, so they can rely on it, but His eyes watch over their ways.They are exalted for a moment, then they are gone; they are brought low and shrivel up like everything else. They wither like heads of grain.If this is not true, then who can prove me a liar and show that my speech is worthless?

There is an evil I have seen under the sun, an error proceeding from the presence of the ruler:

You will be righteous, Lord, even if I bring a case against You. Yet, I wish to contend with You: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the treacherous live at ease?

I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to a man’s jealousy of his friend. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

It is all the same. Therefore I say,“ He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.”When disaster brings sudden death, He mocks the despair of the innocent.The earth is handed over to the wicked; He blindfolds its judges. If it isn’t He, then who is it?