Ecclesiastes 6

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

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

2 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.

[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.

3 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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

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

10 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.

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.

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

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

12 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?

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?