Ecclesiastes 9:3

‘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.'

‘The sons of men' appear to be a new class first introduced in Ecclesiastes 8:11 (but see Ecclesiastes 1:13; Ecclesiastes 3:18). They are clearly seen as sinful. Probably then the idea is of ‘those who by their behaviour show themselves to be but men', in contrast with the righteous and the wise. But the point is that the same thing happens to all, even to these ‘sons of men' who are full of evil, and in whose heart there is madness while they live, after which they go to the dead (madness is paralleled with folly. It possibly means wild behaviour). This he sees as an evil. It seems to thrust man back into futility.