Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is great on men:
There is an euill, which I sawe vnder the sunne, and it is much among men:
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 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.
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 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.
4 For in vanity it came, and in darkness it departeth, and with darkness will its name be covered.
For he commeth into vanitie and goeth into darkenesse: and his name shall be couered with darkenesse.
5 Moreover it never saw the sun, and knew nothing: this hath more rest than the other.
Also he hath not seene ye sunne, nor knowen it: therefore this hath more rest then the other.
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?
And if he had liued a thousand yeeres twise tolde, and had seene no good, shall not all goe 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 man is for his mouth: yet the soule is not filled.
8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk [properly] before the living?
For what hath the wise man more then the foole? what hath the poore that knoweth how to walke before the liuing?
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 ye eye is better then to walke in ye lustes: this also is vanitie, and vexation 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.
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.
11 For there are many things that increase vanity: what advantage [cometh thence] for man?
Surely there be many things that increase vanitie: and what auaileth it man?
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?
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?
