Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless– like chasing the wind.

我又见人为一切的劳碌和各样灵巧的工作就被邻舍嫉妒。这也是虚空，也是捕风。

我见人因彼此嫉妒而有一切的劳碌和各样工作的成就，这也是虚空，也是捕风。

我见人因彼此嫉妒而有一切的劳碌和各样工作的成就，这也是虚空，也是捕风。

我又看见人的一切劳碌和成就原是出于争强好胜。这也是虚空，如同捕风。

我看见各样的劳碌和各样精巧的工作，都是出于人与人彼此的竞争。这也是虚空，也是捕风。

我也看到，一切的劳苦和各样工作的技能，都是出于人与邻人之间的嫉妒。这也是虚空，也是捕风！

我又見人為一切的勞碌和各樣靈巧的工作就被鄰舍嫉妒。這也是虛空，也是捕風。

我見人因彼此嫉妒而有一切的勞碌和各樣工作的成就，這也是虛空，也是捕風。

我見人因彼此嫉妒而有一切的勞碌和各樣工作的成就，這也是虛空，也是捕風。

我又看見人的一切勞碌和成就原是出於爭強好勝。這也是虛空，如同捕風。

我看見各樣的勞碌和各樣精巧的工作，都是出於人與人彼此的競爭。這也是虛空，也是捕風。

我又看一切勞碌和各樣工作上的技巧都是人對鄰舍羨慕之表現：這也是虛空，也是捕風。

我也看到，一切的勞苦和各樣工作的技能，都是出於人與鄰人之間的嫉妒。這也是虛空，也是捕風！

我見人因勞力、及諸巧工、為鄰所嫉、斯亦虛空、乃為捕風、

我觀世人、勞而得功、同人媢嫉、此亦捕風捉影而已。

我觀世人勞碌經營、皆緣彼此相妒、此亦屬於虛、皆如捕風、

And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

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.

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.

Then I observed that most people are motivated to success because they envy their neighbors. But this, too, is meaningless— like chasing the wind.

I saw that all labor and all skillful work is due to one person’s jealousy of another. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

I have seen that every labor and every skill which is done is the result of rivalry between a person and his neighbor. This too is futility and striving after wind.

Again, I saw that for all toil and every skillful work a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.

Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

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.

Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This[ is] also vanity and vexation of spirit.

Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile– like chasing the wind!

For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!

The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him?

This made Saul very angry. The statement displeased him and he thought,“ They have attributed to David tens of thousands, but to me they have attributed only thousands. What does he lack, except the kingdom?”So Saul was keeping an eye on David from that day onward.

For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth– only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile– like chasing the wind!

But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock– even the fattest of them. And the LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering,but with Cain and his offering he was not pleased. So Cain became very angry, and his expression was downcast.Then the LORD said to Cain,“ Why are you angry, and why is your expression downcast?Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.”Cain said to his brother Abel,“ Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

There is no end to all the people nor to the past generations, yet future generations will not rejoice in him. This also is profitless and like chasing the wind.

It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile– like chasing the wind.

Now David achieved success in all he did, for the LORD was with him.When Saul saw how very successful he was, he was afraid of him.But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he was the one leading them out to battle and back.

This is the account of Jacob. Joseph, his seventeen-year-old son, was taking care of the flocks with his brothers. Now he was a youngster working with the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives. Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father.Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons because he was a son born to him late in life, and he made a special tunic for him.When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated Joseph and were not able to speak to him kindly.Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more.He said to them,“ Listen to this dream I had:There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down to it!”Then his brothers asked him,“ Do you really think you will rule over us or have dominion over us?” They hated him even more because of his dream and because of what he said.Then he had another dream, and told it to his brothers.“ Look,” he said.“ I had another dream. The sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”When he told his father and his brothers, his father rebuked him, saying,“ What is this dream that you had? Will I, your mother, and your brothers really come and bow down to you?”His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept in mind what Joseph said.

Saul became even more afraid of him. Saul continued to be at odds with David from then on.Then the leaders of the Philistines would march out, and as often as they did so, David achieved more success than all of Saul’s servants. His name was held in high esteem.

Wrath is cruel and anger is overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy?

( For he knew that they had handed him over because of envy.)

Or do you think the scripture means nothing when it says,“ The spirit that God caused to live within us has an envious yearning”?

The patriarchs, because they were jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt. But God was with him,