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.

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.

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 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 meaningless life here’s what I’ve seen. I’ve seen godly people dying even though they are godly. And I’ve seen sinful people living a long time even though they are sinful.

The eyes of a wise person see things clearly. A person who is foolish lives in darkness. But I finally realized that death catches up with both of them.

But now we call proud people blessed. Things go well with those who do what is evil. And God doesn’t even punish those who test him.’ ”

Why do sinful people keep on living? The older they grow, the richer they get.

I saw that proud and sinful people were doing well. And I began to long for what they had.

I thought about all these things. I realized that those who are wise and do what is right are under God’s control. What they do is also under his control. But no one knows whether they will be loved or hated.Everyone will die someday. Death comes to godly and sinful people alike. It comes to good and bad people alike. It comes to“ clean” and“ unclean” people alike. Those who offer sacrifices and those who don’t offer them also die. A good person dies, and so does a sinner. Those who make promises die. So do those who are afraid to make them.Here’s what is so bad about everything that happens on this earth. Death catches up with all of us. Also, the hearts of people are full of evil. They live in foolish pleasure. After that, they join those who have already died.

Here is what sinful people are like. They don’t have a care in the world. They keep getting richer and richer.It seems as if I have kept my heart pure for no reason. It didn’t do me any good to wash my hands to show that I wasn’t guilty of doing anything wrong.Day after day I’ve been in pain. God has punished me in a new way every morning.

A man lived all by himself. He didn’t have any sons or brothers. His hard work never ended. But he wasn’t happy with what he had.“ Who am I working so hard for?” he asked.“ Why don’t I get the things I enjoy?” That doesn’t have any meaning either. In fact, it’s a very bad deal!

“ How often are their lamps blown out? How often does trouble come on them? How often does God punish them when he’s angry?How often are they like straw blowing in the wind? How often are they like tumbleweeds swept away by a storm?People say,‘ God stores up the punishment of evil people for their children.’ But let God punish the evil people themselves. Then they’ll learn a lesson from it.Let their own eyes see how they are destroyed. Let them drink the wine of the Mighty One’s anger.What do they care about the families they leave behind? What do they care about them when their lives come to an end?“ Can anyone teach God anything? After all, he judges even the angels in heaven.Some people die while they are still very strong. They are completely secure. They have an easy life.They are well fed. Their bodies are healthy.Others die while their spirits are bitter. They’ve never enjoyed anything good.Side by side they lie in the dust of death. The worms in their graves cover all of them.“ I know exactly what you people are thinking. I know you are planning to do bad things to me.You are saying to yourselves,‘ Where is the great man’s house now? Where are the tents where his evil family lived?’Haven’t you ever asked questions of those who travel? Haven’t you paid any attention to their stories?They’ll tell you that sinful people are spared from the day of trouble. They’ll say that those people are saved from the day when God will judge.Who speaks against them for the way they act? Who pays them back for what they’ve done?Their bodies will be carried to their graves. Guards will watch over their tombs.The soil in the valley will be pleasant to those who have died. Many people will walk along behind their bodies. Many others will walk in front of them.“ So how can you comfort me with your speeches? They don’t make any sense at all. Your answers are nothing but lies!”

They mistreat women who aren’t able to have children. They aren’t kind to widows.But God is powerful. He even drags away people who are strong. When he rises up against them, they can never be sure they are safe.God might let them rest and feel secure. But his eyes see how they live.For a little while they are honored. Then they are gone. They are brought low. And they die like everyone else. They are cut off like heads of grain.“ Who can prove that what I’m saying is wrong? Who can prove that my words aren’t true?”

Here’s something evil I’ve seen on this earth. And it’s the kind of mistake that rulers make.

Lord, when I bring a matter to you, you always do what is right. But now I would like to speak with you about whether you are being fair. Why are sinful people successful? Why do those who can’t be trusted have an easy life?

I also saw that a person works hard and accomplishes a lot. But they do it only because they want what another person has. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.

It all amounts to the same thing. That’s why I say,‘ God destroys honest people and sinful people alike.’Suppose a plague brings sudden death. Then he laughs when those who haven’t sinned lose hope.Suppose a nation falls into the power of sinful people. Then God makes its judges blind to the truth. If he isn’t the one doing it, who is?