Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:
Here was an evil, I had seen under the sun, —and it is, common, among men:
2 a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but a foreigner eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
A man to whom God giveth riches and gains and honour, so that nothing doth he lack for his soul—of all that he craveth, and yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but, a man unknown, eateth it, —this, was vanity, and, an incurable evil, it was.
3 If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial; I say, that a stillborn child is better than he:
Though a man should beget a hundred children, and live, many years, so that many should be the days of his years but, his own soul, should not be satisfied with the good, and he should not even have, a burial, I said, Better than he, is an untimely birth!
4 for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
For, in vain, it came in, and, in darkness, it departeth, —and, with darkness, its name, is covered:
5 Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.
even the sun, it never saw, nor aught did it know, —more quietness, hath this than the other.
6 Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, do not all go to one place?
Even though one hath lived a thousand years twice told, yet, good, hath he not seen, —is it not, unto one place, that, all, are going?
7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
All the toil of man, is for his mouth, —though, even the desire, is not satisfied!
8 For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?
For what profit hath the wise man, over the dullard? What can, the poor man, know—so as to walk before the living?
9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Better what the eyes behold, than the wandering of desire, —even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
10 Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.
Whatsoever one may be, long ago, was he called by his name, and it is known that it is—Son of Earth, —he cannot, therefore, contend with one stronger than he.
11 For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?
Seeing there are things in abundance which make vanity abound, what profit hath man?
12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
For who knoweth what is good for a man throughout his life, for the number of the days of his life of vanity, seeing he will make them, like a shadow, —for who can tell a man, what shall be after him, under the sun?
