Ecclesiastes 6

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

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

2 A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and 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 riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but a foreigner eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

3 If a man doth beget a hundred, and live 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 hath not had a grave, I have said, 'Better than he [is] the untimely birth.'

If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial; I say, that a stillborn child is better than he:

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

for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

5 Even the sun he hath not seen nor known, more rest hath this than that.

Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.

6 And though he had lived a thousand years twice over, yet good he hath not seen; to the same place doth not every one go?

Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, do not all go to one place?

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

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

8 For what advantage [is] to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knoweth to walk before the living?

For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

9 Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

10 What [is] that which hath 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.

Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

11 For there are many things multiplying vanity; what advantage [is] to man?

For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

12 For who knoweth what [is] good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?

For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?