| New King James Version | New International Version |
| 1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: | 1I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: |
| 2A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction. | 2God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil. |
| 3If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he— | 3A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. |
| 4for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. | 4It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. |
| 5Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man, | 5Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man-- |
| 6even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place? | 6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place? |
| 7All the labor of man is for his mouth, And yet the soul is not satisfied. | 7Everyone's toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied. |
| 8For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, Who knows how to walk before the living? | 8What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others? |
| 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. | 9Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. |
| 10Whatever one is, he has been named already, For it is known that he is man; And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he. | 10Whatever exists has already been named, and what humanity is has been known; no one can contend with someone who is stronger. |
| 11Since there are many things that increase vanity, How is man the better? | 11The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone? |
| 12For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun? | 12For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone? |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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