Ecclesiastes 6

1 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it [is] great on man:

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

2 A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it; this [is] vanity, and it [is] an evil disease.

A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

3 If a man doth beget a hundred, and live many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he hath not had a grave, I have said, 'Better than he [is] the untimely birth.'

If a man brought forth an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

4 For in vanity he came in, and in darkness he goeth, and in darkness his name is covered,

For he comes in with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

5 Even the sun he hath not seen nor known, more rest hath this than that.

Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this has more rest than the other.

6 And though he had lived a thousand years twice over, yet good he hath not seen; to the same place doth not every one go?

Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet has he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

7 All the labour of man [is] for his mouth, and yet the soul is not filled.

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

8 For what advantage [is] to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knoweth to walk before the living?

For what has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor, that knows to walk before the living?

9 Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

10 What [is] that which hath been? already is its name called, and it is known that it [is] man, and he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he.

That which has been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

11 For there are many things multiplying vanity; what advantage [is] to man?

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

12 For who knoweth what [is] good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he maketh them as a shadow? for who declareth to man what is after him under the sun?

For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?