Ecclesiastes 6:2-10
King James Version
2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 If a man beget 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 he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
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Ecclesiastes 6:2-10
New International Version
2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them,(A) and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.(B)
3 A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn(C) child is better off than he.(D) 4 It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. 5 Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?(E)
7 Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
yet their appetite is never satisfied.(F)
8 What advantage have the wise over fools?(G)
What do the poor gain
by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
9 Better what the eye sees
than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
a chasing after the wind.(H)
10 Whatever exists has already been named,(I)
and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
with someone who is stronger.
Ecclesiastes 6:2-10
English Standard Version
2 a man (A)to whom (B)God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he (C)lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God (D)does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity;[a] it is a grievous evil. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that (E)the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's (F)good things, and he also has no (G)burial, I say that (H)a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. 5 Moreover, it has not (I)seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds (J)rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy[b] no good—do not all go to the one place?
7 (K)All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.[c] 8 For what advantage has the wise man (L)over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better (M)is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is (N)vanity and a striving after wind.
10 Whatever has come to be has (O)already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to (P)dispute with one stronger than he.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verses 4, 9, 11 (see note on 1:2)
- Ecclesiastes 6:6 Or see
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 Hebrew filled
Ecclesiastes 6:2-10
Christian Standard Bible
2 God gives a person riches, wealth, and honor(A) so that he lacks nothing of all he desires for himself,(B) but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a sickening tragedy. 3 A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives,[a] if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial,(C) I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.(D) 4 For he comes in futility and he goes in darkness, and his name is shrouded in darkness. 5 Though a stillborn child does not see the sun and is not conscious, it has more rest than he. 6 And if a person lives a thousand years twice, but does not experience happiness, do not both go to the same place?
8 What advantage then does the wise person have over the fool?(F) What advantage is there for the poor person who knows how to conduct himself before others? 9 Better what the eyes see than wandering desire.(G) This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.[c](H)
10 Whatever exists was given its name long ago,[d](I) and it is known what mankind is. But he is not able to contend with the one stronger than he.(J)
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Ecclesiastes 6:2-10
New American Standard Bible 1995
2 a man to whom God has (A)given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul (B)lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner [a]enjoys them. This is [b]vanity and a severe affliction. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many [c]they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper (C)burial, then I say, “Better (D)the miscarriage than he, 4 for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity. 5 It never sees the sun and it never knows anything; [d]it is better off than he. 6 Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not [e]enjoy good things—(E)do not all go to one place?”
7 (F)All a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the [f]appetite is not [g]satisfied. 8 For (G)what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living? 9 What the eyes (H)see is better than what the soul [h]desires. This too is (I)futility and a striving after wind.
10 Whatever (J)exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he (K)cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 Lit eats from them
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 Or futility
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 Lit the days of his years
- Ecclesiastes 6:5 Lit more rest has this one than that
- Ecclesiastes 6:6 Lit see
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit soul
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit filled
- Ecclesiastes 6:9 Lit goes after
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