Ecclesiastes 6 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 6 ▼
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1 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it [is] great on man: 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 A man to whom God gives wealth, and riches, and honor, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desires, and God does not give him power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it; this [is] vanity, and it [is] an evil disease. 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 begets one hundred, and lives 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 has not had a grave, I have said, “Better than he [is] the untimely birth.” 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 in vanity he came in, and in darkness he goes, and in darkness his name is covered, 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 even the sun he has not seen nor known, more rest has this than that. 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 And though he had lived one thousand years twice over, yet he has not seen good; does not everyone 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 All the labor of man [is] for his mouth, || And yet the soul is not 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 For what advantage [is] to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knows to walk before the living? 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 Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This [is] also vanity and distress 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 What [is] that which has been? Already is its name called, and it is known that it [is] man, || And he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he. 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 For there are many things multiplying vanity; What advantage [is] to man? 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 For who knows what [is] good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he makes them as a shadow? For who declares to man what is 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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