Ecclesiastes 6

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

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

2 a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but a foreigner eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

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 fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial; I say, that a stillborn 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 it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

For he came in vain, and goeth to darkness, and his name shall be wholly forgotten.

5 Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.

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

6 Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, do not all go to one place?

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

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

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

8 For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

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

9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

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 Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.

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 For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

There are many words that have much vanity in disputing.

12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be 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?