Parallel Chapters The Futility of Life | 1I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: | 1There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: | 1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent among men-- | 1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: | 1Here is a tragedy I have observed under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity: |
| 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. | 2a 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 grievous evil. | 2a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction. | 2A 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. | 2God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor so that he lacks nothing of all he desires for himself, but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a sickening tragedy. |
| 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. | 3If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. | 3If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, "Better the miscarriage than he, | 3If 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. | 3A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives, if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. |
| 4It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. | 4For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. | 4for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity. | 4For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. | 4For he comes in futility and he goes in darkness, and his name is shrouded in darkness. |
| 5Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man-- | 5Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. | 5"It never sees the sun and it never knows anything; it is better off than he. | 5Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other. | 5Though a stillborn child does not see the sun and is not conscious, it has more rest than he. |
| 6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place? | 6Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place? | 6"Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not enjoy good things-- do not all go to one place?" | 6Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place? | 6And if he lives a thousand years twice, but does not experience happiness, do not both go to the same place? |
| 7Everyone's toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied. | 7All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. | 7All a man's labor is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied. | 7All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. | 7All man's labor is for his stomach, yet the appetite is never satisfied. |
| 8What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others? | 8For 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? | 8For what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living? | 8For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living? | 8What advantage then does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage is there for the poor person who knows how to conduct himself before others? |
| 9Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. | 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. | 9What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind. | 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. | 9Better what the eyes see than wandering desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. |
| 10Whatever exists has already been named, and what humanity is has been known; no one can contend with someone who is stronger. | 10Whatever 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. | 10Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is. | 10That 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. | 10Whatever exists was given its name long ago, and it is known what man is. But he is not able to contend with the One stronger than he. |
| 11The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone? | 11The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? | 11For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man? | 11Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better? | 11For when there are many words, they increase futility. What is the advantage for man? |
| 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? | 12For 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? | 12For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun? | 12For 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? | 12For who knows what is good for man in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow? Who can tell man what will happen after him under the sun? |
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