Ecclesiastes 6

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is abundant with man:

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:

2 a man to whom God shall give wealth, and substance, and honour, and he wants nothing for his soul of all things that he shall desire, yet God shall not give him power to eat of it, for a stranger shall devour it: this is vanity, and an evil infirmity.

a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honour, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

3 If a man beget a hundred [children], and live many years, yes, however abundant the days of his years shall be, yet [if] his soul shall not be satisfied with good, and also he have no burial; I said, An untimely birth is better than he.

If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he;

4 For he came in vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered in darkness.

for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

5 Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known rest: there is [no more rest] to this one than another.

Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.

6 Though he has lived to the return of a thousand years, yet he has seen no good: do not all go to one place?

Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t all go to one place?

7 All the labour of a man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite shall not be satisfied.

All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

8 For [what] advantage has the wise man over the fool, since [even] the poor knows how to walk in the direction of life?

For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

9 The sight of the eyes is better than that which wanders in soul: this is also vanity, and waywardness of spirit.

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

10 If anything has been, its name has already been called: and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is stronger than he.

Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

11 For there are many things which increase vanity.

For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

12 What advantage has a man? for who knows [what is] good for a man in his life, [during] the number of the life of the days of his vanity? and he has spent them as a shadow; for who shall tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?