Ecclesiastes 6

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

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it [is] great on man:

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 gives wealth, and riches, and honor, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desires, and God does not give him power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it; this [is] vanity, and it [is] an evil disease.

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 begets one hundred, and lives many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he has not had a grave, I have said, “Better than he [is] the untimely birth.”

4 For he cometh with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

For in vanity he came in, and in darkness he goes, and in darkness his name is covered,

5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known [any thing]: this hath more rest than the other.

even the sun he has not seen nor known, more rest has this than that.

6 Yes, though he liveth a thousand years twice [told], yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

And though he had lived one thousand years twice over, yet he has not seen good; does not everyone go to the same place?

7 All the labor of man [is] for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

All the labor of man [is] for his mouth, And yet the soul 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 advantage [is] to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knows to walk before the living?

9 Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit.

Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This [is] also vanity and distress 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 which has been? Already is its name called, and it is known that it [is] man, And he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he.

11 Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what [is] man the better?

For there are many things multiplying vanity; What advantage [is] to 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 knows what [is] good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he makes them as a shadow? For who declares to man what is after him under the sun?