Ecclesiastes 6 Parallel Bible Translations

Ecclesiastes 6 ▼
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SEP
Brenton Septuagint Translation
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English Standard Version
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New International Version
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1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is abundant with 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 shall give wealth, and substance, and honour, and he wants nothing for his soul of all things that he shall desire, yet God shall not give him power to eat of it, for a stranger shall devour it: this is vanity, and an evil infirmity. 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 beget a hundred children , and live many years, yea, however abundant the days of his years shall be, yet if his soul shall not be satisfied with good, and also he have no burial; I said, An untimely birth 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 came in vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered in darkness. 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 Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known rest: there is no more rest to this one than another. 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 Though he has lived to the return of a thousand years, yet he has seen no good: do not all go to one 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 labour of a man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite shall not be 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 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool, since even the poor knows how to walk in the direction of 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 The sight of the eyes is better than that which wanders in soul: this is also vanity, and waywardness 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 If anything has been, its name has already been called: and it is known what man is; neither can he 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 which increase vanity. What advantage has a 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 his life, during the number of the life of the days of his vanity? and he has spent them as a shadow; for who shall tell a man what shall be 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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