Ecclesiastes 6 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 6 ▼
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God's Word Translation
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English Standard Version
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1 There is a tragedy that I have seen under the sun. It is a terrible one for mortals. 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 God gives one person riches, wealth, and honor so that he doesn't lack anything he wants. Yet, God doesn't give him the power to enjoy any of them. Instead, a stranger enjoys them. This is pointless and is a painful tragedy. 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 Suppose a rich person wasn't satisfied with good things [while he was alive] and didn't even get an honorable burial [after he died]. Suppose he had a hundred children and lived for many years. No matter how long he would have lived, it [still] would have been better for him to have been born dead. 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 A stillborn baby arrives in a pointless birth and goes out into the darkness. The darkness then hides its name. 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 Though it has never seen the sun or known anything, the baby finds more rest than the rich person. 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 the rich person lives two thousand years without experiencing anything good-don't we all go 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 Everything that people work so hard for goes into their mouths, but their appetite is never satisfied. 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 advantage does a wise person have over a fool? What advantage does a poor person have in knowing how to face 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 look at what is in front of you than to go looking for what you want. Even this is pointless. [It's like] trying to catch the wind. 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 Whatever has happened [in the past] already has a name. Mortals are already known for what they are. Mortals cannot argue with the one who is stronger than they. 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 The more words there are, the more pointless they become. What advantage do mortals gain from this? 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 Who knows what may be good for mortals while they are alive, during the brief, pointless days they live? Mortals pass by like a shadow. Who will tell them about their future 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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