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.

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 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.”

All this I have seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in his evildoing.

The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walks in darkness— and yet I perceived that one event happens to them all.

Now we call the proud happy; yes, those who work wickedness are built up; yes, they tempt God, and escape.’

“ Why do the wicked live, become old, yes, and grow mighty in power?

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

For all this I laid to my heart, even to explore all this: that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hatred, man doesn’t know it; all is before them.All things come alike to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, to the unclean, to him who sacrifices, and to him who doesn’t sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath, as he who fears an oath.This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

Behold, these are the wicked. Being always at ease, they increase in riches.Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence,For all day long I have been plagued, and punished every morning.

There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth.“ For whom then, do I labor and deprive my soul of enjoyment?” This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

“ How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes sorrows in his anger?How often is it that they are as stubble before the wind, as chaff that the storm carries away?You say,‘ God lays up his iniquity for his children.’ Let him recompense it to himself, that he may know it.Let his own eyes see his destruction. Let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty.For what does he care for his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?“ Shall any teach God knowledge, since he judges those who are high?One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.His pails are full of milk. The marrow of his bones is moistened.Another dies in bitterness of soul, and never tastes of good.They lie down alike in the dust. The worm covers them.“ Behold, I know your thoughts, the plans with which you would wrong me.For you say,‘ Where is the house of the prince? Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?’Haven’t you asked wayfaring men? Don’t you know their evidences,that the evil man is reserved to the day of calamity, That they are led out to the day of wrath?Who will declare his way to his face? Who will repay him what he has done?Yet he will be borne to the grave. Men will keep watch over the tomb.The clods of the valley will be sweet to him. All men will draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.So how can you comfort me with nonsense, because in your answers there remains only falsehood?”

He devours the barren who don’t bear. He shows no kindness to the widow.Yet God preserves the mighty by his power. He rises up who has no assurance of life.God gives them security, and they rest in it. His eyes are on their ways.They are exalted; yet a little while, and they are gone. Yes, they are brought low, they are taken out of the way as all others, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.If it isn’t so now, who will prove me a liar, and make my speech worth nothing?”

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, the sort of error which proceeds from the ruler.

You are righteous, Yahweh, when I contend with you; yet I would like to reason the cause with you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are they all at ease who deal very treacherously?

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.

“ It is all the same. Therefore I say he destroys the blameless and the wicked.If the scourge kills suddenly, he will mock at the trial of the innocent.The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If not he, then who is it?