Ecclesiastes 6

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

There is an euill, which I sawe vnder the sunne, and it is much among men:

2 a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth 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 beget an hundred children and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, but his soul be not filled with good, and moreover he have no burial; 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 it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;

For he commeth into vanitie and goeth into darkenesse: and his name shall be couered with darkenesse.

5 moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather 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 live a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoy no good: do not all 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 labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

All the labour of man is for his mouth: yet the soule is not filled.

8 For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? [or] what hath the poor man, that knoweth to walk 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 the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

The sight of ye eye is better then to walke in ye lustes: this also is vanitie, and vexation of spirit.

10 Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is known that it is man: neither can he 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 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

Surely there be many things that increase vanitie: and what auaileth it man?

12 For who knoweth what is good for man in [his] life, 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 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?