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 common among men:

2 a man to whom God shall give wealth, and substance, and honor, 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 has given riches, wealth, and honor, 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.

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 beget 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.

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

For he comes in with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be 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 he has not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this has more rest 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, yet has he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

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

All the labor 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 has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor, that knows 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 is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

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.

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.

11 For there are many things which increase vanity.

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

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 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?