Ecclesiastes 6

1 Here was an evil, I had seen under the sun, —and it is, common, among men:

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

2 A man to whom God giveth riches and gains and honour, so that nothing doth he lack for his soul—of all that he craveth, and yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but, a man unknown, eateth it, —this, was vanity, and, an incurable evil, it was.

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.

3 Though a man should beget a hundred children, and live, many years, so that many should be the days of his years but, his own soul, should not be satisfied with the good, and he should not even have, a burial, I said, Better than he, is an untimely birth!

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.

4 For, in vain, it came in, and, in darkness, it departeth, —and, with darkness, its name, is covered:

For he arrives without a purpose and he continues on into darkness, and his name shall be wiped away, into oblivion.

5 even the sun, it never saw, nor aught did it know, —more quietness, hath this than the other.

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

6 Even though one hath lived a thousand years twice told, yet, good, hath he not seen, —is it not, unto one place, that, all, are going?

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?

7 All the toil of man, is for his mouth, —though, even the desire, is not satisfied!

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

8 For what profit hath the wise man, over the dullard? What can, the poor man, know—so as to walk before the living?

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?

9 Better what the eyes behold, than the wandering of desire, —even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.

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.

10 Whatsoever one may be, long ago, was he called by his name, and it is known that it is—Son of Earth, —he cannot, therefore, contend with one stronger than he.

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.

11 Seeing there are things in abundance which make vanity abound, what profit hath man?

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

12 For who knoweth what is good for a man throughout his life, for the number of the days of his life of vanity, seeing he will make them, like a shadow, —for who can tell a man, what shall be after him, under the sun?

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?