Ecclesiastes 6

1There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and that frequent among men:

1There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it <FI>is<Fi> great on man:

2A man to whom God hath given riches, and substance, and honour, and his soul wanteth nothing of all that he desireth: yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but a stranger shall eat it up. This is vanity and a great misery.

2A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it; this <FI>is<Fi> vanity, and it <FI>is<Fi> an evil disease.

3If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, and attain to a great age, and his soul make no use of the goods of his substance, and he be without burial: of this man I pronounce, that the untimely born is better than he.

3If a man doth beget a hundred, and live many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he hath not had a grave, I have said, `Better than he <FI>is<Fi> the untimely birth.'

4For he came in vain, and goeth to darkness, and his name shall be wholly forgotten.

4For in vanity he came in, and in darkness he goeth, and in darkness his name is covered,

5He hath not seen the sun, nor known the distance of good and evil:

5Even the sun he hath not seen nor known, more rest hath this than that.

6Although he lived two thousand years, and hath not enjoyed good things: do not all make haste to one place?

6And though he had lived a thousand years twice over, yet good he hath not seen; to the same place doth not every one go?

7All the labour of man is for his mouth, but his soul shall not be filled.

7All the labour of man <FI>is<Fi> for his mouth, and yet the soul is not filled.

8What hath the wise man more than the fool? and what the poor man, but to go thither, where there is life?

8For what advantage <FI>is<Fi> to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knoweth to walk before the living?

9Better it is to see what thou mayst desire, than to desire that which thou canst not know. But this also is vanity, and presumption of spirit.

9Better <FI>is<Fi> the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This also <FI>is<Fi> vanity and vexation of spirit.

10He that shall be, his name is already called: and it is known, that he is a man, and cannot contend in judgment with him that is stronger than himself.

10What <FI>is<Fi> that which hath been? already is its name called, and it is known that it <FI>is<Fi> man, and he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he.

11There are many words that have much vanity in disputing.

11For there are many things multiplying vanity; what advantage <FI>is<Fi> to man?

12(not in this translation)

12For who knoweth what <FI>is<Fi> good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?