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 lieth heavy upon 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 hath given riches, wealth, and honor, and nothing is wanting to him of all which he desireth, yet God giveth him not to taste thereof; but a stranger enjoyeth it. This is vanity, yea, a grievous evil.

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.'

Though a man have a hundred children, and live many years, and though the days of his years be many, if his soul be not satisfied with good, and he have no burial, I say that an untimely birth is better than he.

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

This, indeed, cometh in nothingness, and goeth down into darkness, and its name is covered with darkness;

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

it hath not seen the sun, nor known it; yet hath it 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?

Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and see no 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 his desires are not satisfied.

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 hath the wise man over the fool? What advantage hath the poor, who knoweth 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 striving 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.

That which is was long ago called by name; and it was known that he is a man, and that he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.

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

Seeing there are many things which increase vanity, what advantage hath man [[from them]]?

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 knoweth what is good for man in life, in 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?