Ecclesiastes 6

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

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

2 [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.

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 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.

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.

4 For in vanity it came, and in darkness it departeth, and with darkness will its name be covered.

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

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

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

6 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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

10 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.

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

For there are many things which increase vanity.

12 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?

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?