Ecclesiastes, 6

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

1. There is another very evil thing which I saw under the sun: a man has riches, property, honor, and lacks nothing he could desire,

2. A 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.

2. yet God does not permit him to benefit from them; a stranger has the enjoyment. That is nonsense and a grievous hurt.

3. If 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.

3. What if a man had a hundred sons and lived many years but without tasting happiness and even without a tomb! More fortunate, I would say, the one untimely-born.

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

4. For he came in vain and goes to darkness and in darkness will his name be hidden.

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

5. He has not seen the sun and has not known it. Finally he has had more rest than that man.

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

6. Even if he should live a thousand years twice over, but without tasting happiness; do not both go to the same place?

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

7. Man works to fill his stomach, yet he himself is not satisfied.

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

8. Has the wise man more than the fool? What is the benefit of wisdom to one overwhelmed by poverty?

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

9. What the eye sees seems better than what the heart desires. That, too, is senseless and chasing wind.

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.

10. Everything has already been evaluated. One knows what man is and that he cannot dispute with the one stronger than himself.

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

11. Many words, much emptiness; what does it profit?

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?

12. Who knows what is the good way of life for man, during the days of his meaningless life which pass like a shadow? Who will let him know what will happen after he has gone?