Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavy on men.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is abundant with man:
2 God might give riches, wealth, and honor to a man so that he lacks nothing that he desires for himself, but then God gives him no ability to enjoy it. Instead, someone else uses his things. This is vapor, an evil affliction.
a man to whom God shall give wealth, and substance, and honor, 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 fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but if his heart is not satisfied with good and he is not buried, then I say that a baby that is born dead is better off than he is.
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 Even such a baby is born in futility and passes away in darkness, and its name remains hidden.
For he came in vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered in darkness.
5 Although this child does not see the sun or know anything, it has rest even though that man did not.
Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known rest: there is [no more rest] to this one than another.
6 Even if a man should live for two thousand years but does not learn to enjoy good things, he goes to the same place as everyone else.
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 a man's work is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.
All the labor of a man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite shall not be satisfied.
8 Indeed, what advantage has the wise person over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have even if he knows how to act in front of other people?
For [what] advantage has the wise man over the fool, since [even] the poor knows how to walk in the direction of life?
9 It is better to be satisfied with what the eyes see than to desire what a wandering appetite craves, which is also vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
The sight of the eyes is better than that which wanders in soul: this is also vanity, and waywardness of spirit.
10 Whatever has existed has already been given its name, and what mankind is like has already been known. So it has become useless to dispute with the one who is the mighty judge of all.
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 The more words that are spoken, the more futility increases, so what advantage is that to a man?
For there are many things which increase vanity.
12 For who knows what is good for man in his life during his futile, numbered days through which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come under the sun after he passes?
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?
