Ecclesiastes 6 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 6 ▼
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English Standard Version
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1 There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and, indeed, it is frequent among men. There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind:
2 It is a man to whom God has given wealth, and resources, and honor; and out of all that he desires, nothing is lacking to his life; yet God does not grant him the ability to consume these things, but instead a man who is a stranger will devour them. This is emptiness and a great misfortune. 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 grievous evil. God 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.
3 If a man were to produce one hundred children, and to live for many years, and to attain to an age of many days, and if his soul were to make no use of the goods of his resources, and if he were lacking even a burial: concerning such a man, I declare that a miscarried child is better than he. If 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. A 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.
4 For he arrives without a purpose and he continues on into darkness, and his name shall be wiped away, into oblivion. For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded.
5 He has not seen the sun, nor recognized the difference between good and evil. Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man—
6 Even if he were to live for two thousand years, and yet not thoroughly enjoy what is good, does not each one hurry on to the same place? Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to the one place? even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
7 Every labor of man is for his mouth, but his soul will not be filled. All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. Everyone’s toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied.
8 What do the wise have which is more than the foolish? And what does the pauper have, except to continue on to that place, where there is life? 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? What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
9 It is better to see what you desire, than to desire what you cannot know. But this, too, is emptiness and a presumption of spirit. Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
10 Whoever shall be in the future, his name has already been called. And it is known that he is a man and that he is not able to contend in judgment against one who is stronger than himself. 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. Whatever exists has already been named, and what humanity is has been known; no one can contend with someone who is stronger.
11 There are many words, and many of these, in disputes, hold much emptiness. The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?
12 <V 7:1>Why is it necessary for a man to seek things that are greater than himself, when he does not know what is advantageous for himself in his life, during the number of the days of his sojourn, and while time passes by like a shadow? Or who will be able to tell him what will be in the future after him under the sun? 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? For 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?
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