Ecclesiastes 6

1 There is an euill, which I sawe vnder the sunne, and it is much among men:

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it is frequent among men:

2 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.

one to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and a sore evil.

3 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.

If a man beget a hundred [sons], and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, but his soul be not filled with good, and also he have no burial, I say an untimely birth is better than he.

4 For he commeth into vanitie and goeth into darkenesse: and his name shall be couered with darkenesse.

For it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness;

5 Also he hath not seene ye sunne, nor knowen it: therefore this hath more rest then the other.

moreover it hath not seen nor known the sun: this hath rest rather than the other.

6 And if he had liued a thousand yeeres twise tolde, and had seene no good, shall not all goe to one place?

Yea, though he live twice a thousand years, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

7 All the labour of man is for his mouth: yet the soule is not filled.

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

8 For what hath the wise man more then the foole? what hath the poore that knoweth how to walke before the liuing?

For what advantage hath the wise above the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

9 The sight of ye eye is better then to walke in ye lustes: this also is vanitie, and vexation of spirit.

Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

10 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.

That which is hath already been named; and what man is, is known, and that he cannot contend with him that is mightier than he.

11 Surely there be many things that increase vanitie: and what auaileth it man?

For there are many things that increase vanity: what is man advantaged?

12 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?

For who knoweth what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell man what shall be after him under the sun?