Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:
There is an euill, which I sawe vnder the sunne, and it is much among men:
2 God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.
A man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth: but God giueth him not power to eate thereof, but a strange man shall eate it vp: this is vanitie, and this is an euill sicknesse.
3 A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
If a man beget an hundreth children and liue many yeeres, and the dayes of his yeeres be multiplied, and his soule be not satisfied with good things, and he be not buried, I say that an vntimely fruite is better then he.
4 For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.
For he commeth into vanitie and goeth into darkenesse: and his name shall be couered with darkenesse.
5 The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,
Also he hath not seene ye sunne, nor knowen it: therefore this hath more rest then the other.
6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
And if he had liued a thousand yeeres twise tolde, and had seene no good, shall not all goe to one place?
7 All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.
All the labour of man is for his mouth: yet the soule is not filled.
8 What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?
For what hath the wise man more then the foole? what hath the poore that knoweth how to walke before the liuing?
9 Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
The sight of ye eye is better then to walke in ye lustes: this also is vanitie, and vexation of spirit.
10 Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
What is that that hath bene? the name thereof is nowe named: and it is knowen that it is man: and he cannot striue with him that is stronger then he.
11 For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?
Surely there be many things that increase vanitie: and what auaileth it man?
12 For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?
For who knoweth what is good for man in the life and in the nomber of the dayes of the life of his vanitie, seeing he maketh them as a shadowe? For who can shewe vnto man what shall be after him vnder the sunne?
