Ἐκκλησιαστής 6

1 ἔστιν πονηρία ἣν εἶδον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον καὶ πολλή ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον

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

2 ἀνήρ ᾧ δώσει αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς πλοῦτον καὶ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ δόξαν καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὑστερῶν τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν ἐπιθυμήσει καὶ οὐκ ἐξουσιάσει αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς τοῦ φαγεῖν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ ὅτι ἀνὴρ ξένος φάγεται αὐτόν τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ ἀρρωστία πονηρά ἐστιν

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 ἐὰν γεννήσῃ ἀνὴρ ἑκατὸν καὶ ἔτη πολλὰ ζήσεται καὶ πλῆθος ὅ τι ἔσονται ἡμέραι ἐτῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐμπλησθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγαθωσύνης καί γε ταφὴ οὐκ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ εἶπα ἀγαθὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν τὸ ἔκτρωμα

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 ὅτι ἐν ματαιότητι ἦλθεν καὶ ἐν σκότει πορεύεται καὶ ἐν σκότει ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καλυφθήσεται

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

5 καί γε ἥλιον οὐκ εἶδεν καὶ οὐκ ἔγνω ἀνάπαυσις τούτῳ ὑπὲρ τοῦτον

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

6 καὶ εἰ ἔζησεν χιλίων ἐτῶν καθόδους καὶ ἀγαθωσύνην οὐκ εἶδεν μὴ οὐκ εἰς τόπον ἕνα τὰ πάντα πορεύεται

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

7 πᾶς μόχθος τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰς στόμα αὐτοῦ καί γε ἡ ψυχὴ οὐ πληρωθήσεται

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

8 ὅτι τίς περισσεία τῷ σοφῷ ὑπὲρ τὸν ἄφρονα διότι ὁ πένης οἶδεν πορευθῆναι κατέναντι τῆς ζωῆς

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

9 ἀγαθὸν ὅραμα ὀφθαλμῶν ὑπὲρ πορευόμενον ψυχῇ καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ προαίρεσις πνεύματος

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

10 εἴ τι ἐγένετο ἤδη κέκληται ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐγνώσθη ὅ ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος καὶ οὐ δυνήσεται τοῦ κριθῆναι μετὰ τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ ὑπὲρ αὐτόν

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 ὅτι εἰσὶν λόγοι πολλοὶ πληθύνοντες ματαιότητα τί περισσὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ

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

12 ὅτι τίς οἶδεν τί ἀγαθὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ἀριθμὸν ἡμερῶν ζωῆς ματαιότητος αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὰς ἐν σκιᾷ ὅτι τίς ἀπαγγελεῖ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τί ἔσται ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον

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?