Ecclesiastes 6

¹There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it lieth heavy upon men;

²a 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.

³Though 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.

⁴This, indeed, cometh in nothingness, and goeth down into darkness, and its name is covered with darkness;

⁵it hath not seen the sun, nor known it; yet hath it rest rather than the other.

⁶Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and see no good, —do not all go to one place?

⁷All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his desires are not satisfied.

⁸For what advantage hath the wise man over the fool? What advantage hath the poor, who knoweth how to walk before the living?

⁹Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity, and striving after wind.

¹⁰That 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.

¹¹Seeing there are many things which increase vanity, what advantage hath man [from them]?

¹²For 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?

Ecclesiastes 6

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

²A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

³If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

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

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

⁶Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

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

⁸For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

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

¹⁰That 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.

¹¹Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

¹²For 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?