Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavy on 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.
God might give riches, wealth, and honor to a man so that he lacks nothing that he desires for himself, but then God gives him no ability to enjoy it. Instead, someone else uses his things. This is vapor, an evil affliction.
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 fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but if his heart is not satisfied with good and he is not buried, then I say that a baby that is born dead is better off than he is.
4 For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.
Even such a baby is born in futility and passes away in darkness, and its name remains hidden.
5 The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,
Although this child does not see the sun or know anything, it has rest even though that man did not.
6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
Even if a man should live for two thousand years but does not learn to enjoy good things, he goes to the same place as everyone else.
7 All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.
All a man's work is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.
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?
Indeed, what advantage has the wise person over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have even if he knows how to act in front of other people?
9 Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
It is better to be satisfied with what the eyes see than to desire what a wandering appetite craves, which is also vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
10 Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
Whatever has existed has already been given its name, and what mankind is like has already been known. So it has become useless to dispute with the one who is the mighty judge of all.
11 For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?
The more words that are spoken, the more futility increases, so what advantage is that to a 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 knows what is good for man in his life during his futile, numbered days through which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come under the sun after he passes?
