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.
There is something meaningless that happens on earth: sometimes good people suffer the consequences that wicked people deserve, and sometimes wicked people enjoy the rewards that righteous people should receive. I said that this too is meaningless.
The writer is observing that life often seems unfair—good people sometimes get punished while bad people are rewarded, which feels senseless and frustrating.
📚 Historical Context
The author of Ecclesiastes (traditionally identified as King Solomon) was reflecting on the apparent randomness and injustice he observed in ancient Israel. This was written during a time when many believed that righteousness should always lead to blessing and wickedness to punishment, yet daily experience often contradicted this expectation.
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