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 great on men:

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.

[There is many] a man to whom God hath given riches, property, and honor, and nothing is wanting for his soul of all that he longeth for: yet God empowereth him not to eat thereof, but a stranger will consume it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

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 were to beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years were many, and his soul were not satisfied with what is good, and he have not had even a burial: then do I say, that 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 in vanity it came, and in darkness it departeth, and with darkness will its name be covered.

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

Moreover it never saw the sun, and knew nothing: this hath more rest than the other.

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?

Yea, though he were to live a thousand years twice told, and had not seen any good— doth not every one go to one place?

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

All the toil of a man is for his mouth; and yet is his desire never filled.

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 hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk [properly] before the living?

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.

Better is what one seeth with the eyes than the wandering of the desire. Also this is vanity and a torture of the 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.

That which hath been is already called by its name, and it is known that he is a man: and he is not able to contend with him that is mightier than he.

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

For there are many things that increase vanity: what advantage [cometh thence] for man?

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?

For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, the number of the days of his vain life, that he should spend them as a shadow? for who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?