What does a man gain for his labor under the sun?

generations come and generations go...

all streams flow to the sea, yet the sea is never full,

all things are wearisome, more so than one can say,

what has been done will be done again and again,

i saw the tears of the oppressed,

power was on the side of their oppressors,

and they had no comfort whatsoever,

everything, everything, everything is meaningless,

everything, everything, everything is meaningless,

and i declare that the dead, who have already died,

are happier than those who are still alive