Ecclesiastes 6

1 There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and, indeed, it is frequent among men.

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

2 It is a man to whom God has given wealth, and resources, and honor; and out of all that he desires, nothing is lacking to his life; yet God does not grant him the ability to consume these things, but instead a man who is a stranger will devour them. This is emptiness and a great misfortune.

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.

3 If a man were to produce one hundred children, and to live for many years, and to attain to an age of many days, and if his soul were to make no use of the goods of his resources, and if he were lacking even a burial: concerning such a man, I declare that a miscarried child is better than he.

If a man beget a hundred [children], and live many years, yea, 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.

4 For he arrives without a purpose and he continues on into darkness, and his name shall be wiped away, into oblivion.

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

5 He has not seen the sun, nor recognized the difference between good and evil.

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

6 Even if he were to live for two thousand years, and yet not thoroughly enjoy what is good, does not each one hurry on to the same place?

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

7 Every labor of man is for his mouth, but his soul will not be filled.

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

8 What do the wise have which is more than the foolish? And what does the pauper have, except to continue on to that place, where there is life?

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

9 It is better to see what you desire, than to desire what you cannot know. But this, too, is emptiness and a presumption of spirit.

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

10 Whoever shall be in the future, his name has already been called. And it is known that he is a man and that he is not able to contend in judgment against one who is stronger than himself.

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.

11 There are many words, and many of these, in disputes, hold much emptiness.

For there are many things which increase vanity.

12 Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself, when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life, during the number of the days of his sojourn, and while time passes by like a shadow? Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun?

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?