Ecclesiastes, 6

1. I see another evil under the sun, which goes hard with people:

1. There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon men:

2. suppose someone has received from God riches, property, honours -- nothing at all left to wish for; but God does not give the chance to enjoy them, and some stranger enjoys them. This is futile, and grievous suffering too.

2. a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them; this is vanity; it is a sore affliction.

3. Or take someone who has had a hundred children and lived for many years, and, having reached old age, has never enjoyed the good things of life and has not even got a tomb; it seems to me, a still-born child is happier.

3. If a man begets a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but he does not enjoy life's good things, and also has no burial, I say that an untimely birth is better off than he.

4. In futility it came, into darkness it departs, and in darkness will its name be buried.

4. For it comes into vanity and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered;

5. It has never so much as seen or known the sun; all the same, it will rest more easily than that person,

5. moreover it has not seen the sun or known anything; yet it finds rest rather than he.

6. who would never have known the good things of life, even by living a thousand years twice over. Do we not all go to the same place in the end?

6. Even though he should live a thousand years twice told, yet enjoy no good -- do not all go to the one place?

7. All toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is never satisfied.

7. All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.

8. What advantage has the wise over the fool? And what of the pauper who knows how to behave in society?

8. For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living?

9. Better the object seen than the sting of desire: for the latter too is futile and chasing after the wind.

9. Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

10. What has been is already defined -- we know what people are: They cannot bring to justice one who is stronger than themselves.

10. Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he.

11. The more we say, the more futile it is: what good can we derive from it?

11. The more words, the more vanity, and what is man the better?

12. And who knows what is best for someone during life, during the days of futile life which are spent like a shadow? Who can tell anyone what will happen after him under the sun?

12. For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?