Ecclesiastes 6

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it [is] common among men:

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

2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat of it, 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 begetteth a hundred [children], and liveth many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul is not filled with good, and also [that] he hath 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 he cometh with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

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

5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known [any thing]: 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 Yes, though he liveth a thousand years twice [told], yet hath he seen 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 labor 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 hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, 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 [is] also vanity and vexation of 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 named already, and it is known that it [is] man: neither may 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 are 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 [this] 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?