Ecclesiastes 6

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it lieth heavy upon men;

2 A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

a man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honor, and nothing is wanting to him of all which he desireth, yet God giveth him not to taste thereof; but a stranger enjoyeth it. This is vanity, yea, a grievous evil.

3 If a man brought forth an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

Though a man have a hundred children, and live many years, and though the days of his years be many, if his soul be not satisfied with good, and he have no burial, I say that an untimely birth is better than he.

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

This, indeed, cometh in nothingness, and goeth down into darkness, and its name is covered with darkness;

5 Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this has more rest than the other.

it hath not seen the sun, nor known it; yet hath it rest rather than the other.

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

Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and see no good, — do not all go to one place?

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

All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his desires are not satisfied.

8 For what has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor, that knows to walk before the living?

For what advantage hath the wise man over the fool? What advantage hath the poor, who knoweth how to walk before the living?

9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

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

10 That which has been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

That which is was long ago called by name; and it was known that he is a man, and that he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.

11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

Seeing there are many things which increase vanity, what advantage hath man [[from them]]?

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

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