Ecclesiastes 6

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavy on men.

2 a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

God might give riches, wealth, and honor to a man so that he lacks nothing that he desires for himself, but then God gives him no ability to enjoy it. Instead, someone else uses his things. This is vapor, an evil affliction.

3 If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul be not filled with good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that 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 if his heart is not satisfied with good and he is not buried, then I say that a baby that is born dead is better off than he is.

4 for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;

Even such a baby is born in futility and passes away in darkness, and its name remains hidden.

5 moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather than the other:

Although this child does not see the sun or know anything, it has rest even though that man did not.

6 yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoy no good, do not all go to one place?

Even if a man should live for two thousand years but does not learn to enjoy good things, he goes to the same place as everyone else.

7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

All a man's work is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.

8 For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? [or] what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?

Indeed, what advantage has the wise person over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have even if he knows how to act in front of other people?

9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

It is better to be satisfied with what the eyes see than to desire what a wandering appetite craves, which is also vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.

10 Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.

Whatever has existed has already been given its name, and what mankind is like has already been known. So it has become useless to dispute with the one who is the mighty judge of all.

11 Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

The more words that are spoken, the more futility increases, so what advantage is that to a man?

12 For who knoweth what is good for man in [his] 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?

For who knows what is good for man in his life during his futile, numbered days through which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come under the sun after he passes?