Ecclesiastes 6

1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard on men;

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

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

2A man to whom God gives money, wealth, and honour so that he has all his desires but God does not give him the power to have joy of it, and a strange man takes it. This is to no purpose and an evil disease.

2one to whomGod giveth riches, wealth, and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yetGod giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and a sore evil.

2a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

3If a man has a hundred children, and his life is long so that the days of his years are great in number, but his soul takes no pleasure in good, and he is not honoured at his death; I say that a birth before its time is better than he.

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

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

4In wind it came and to the dark it will go, and with the dark will its name be covered.

4For it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness;

4for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;

5Yes, it saw not the sun, and it had no knowledge; it is better with this than with the other.

5moreover it hath not seen nor known the sun: this hath rest rather than the other.

5moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather than the other:

6And though he goes on living a thousand years twice over and does not see good, are not the two going to the same place?

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

6yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoy no good, do not all go to one place?

7All the work of man is for his mouth, and still he has a desire for food.

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

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

8What have the wise more than the foolish? and what has the poor man by walking wisely before the living?

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

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

9What the eyes see is better than the wandering of desire. This is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

9Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

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

10That which is, has been named before, and of what man is there is knowledge. He has no power against one stronger than he.

10That which is hath already been named; and what man is, is known, and that he cannot contend with him that is mightier than he.

10Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.

11There are words without number for increasing what is to no purpose, but what is man profited by them?

11For there are many things that increase vanity: what is man advantaged?

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

12Who is able to say what is good for man in life all the days of his foolish life which he goes through like a shade? who will say what is to be after him under the sun?

12For who knoweth what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell man what shall be after him under the sun?

12For who knoweth what is good for man in his 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?