Ecclesiastes 6

1 There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and, indeed, it is frequent among men.

There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and that frequent among men:

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 hath given riches, and substance, and honour, and his soul wanteth nothing of all that he desireth: yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but a stranger shall eat it up. This is vanity and a great misery.

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 beget a hundred children, and live many years, and attain to a great age, and his soul make no use of the goods of his substance, and he be without burial: of this man I pronounce, that the untimely born is better 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 he came in vain, and goeth to darkness, and his name shall be wholly forgotten.

5 He has not seen the sun, nor recognized the difference between good and evil.

He hath not seen the sun, nor known the distance of good and evil:

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?

Although he lived two thousand years, and hath not enjoyed good things: do not all make haste to one place?

7 Every labor of man is for his mouth, but his soul will not be filled.

All the labour of man is for his mouth, but his soul shall not be filled.

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?

What hath the wise man more than the fool? and what the poor man, but to go thither, where there is life?

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 it is to see what thou mayst desire, than to desire that which thou canst not know. But this also is vanity, and presumption of spirit.

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.

He that shall be, his name is already called: and it is known, that he is man, and cannot contend in judgment with him that is stronger than himself.

11 There are many words, and many of these, in disputes, hold much emptiness.

There are many words that have much vanity in disputing.

12 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?

What needeth a man to seek things that are above him, whereas he knoweth not what is profitable for him in his life, in all the days of his pilgrimage, and the time that passeth like a shadow? Or who can tell him what shall be after him under the sun?