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Ecclesiastes 6
New American Standard Bible

The Futility of Life

6 There is an (A)evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is widespread [a]among mankind: 2 a person to whom God has (B)given riches, wealth, and honor, so that his soul (C)lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God has not given him the opportunity to [b]enjoy these things, but a foreigner [c]enjoys them. This is futility and a severe affliction. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many [d]they may be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper (D)burial, then I say, “Better (E)the miscarriage than he, 4 for a miscarriage comes in futility and goes into darkness; and its name is covered in darkness. 5 It has not even seen the sun nor does it know it; yet [e]it is better off than that man. 6 Even if the man lives a thousand years twice, but does not see good things—(F)do not all go to one and the same place?”

7 (G)All a person’s labor is for his mouth, and yet [f]his appetite is not [g]satisfied. 8 For (H)what advantage does the wise person have over the fool? What does the poor person have, knowing how to walk before the living? 9 What the eyes (I)see is better than what the soul [h]desires. This too is (J)futility and striving after wind.

10 Whatever (K)exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he (L)cannot dispute with the [i]one who is mightier than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a person? 12 For who knows what is good for a person during his lifetime, during the few [j]years of his futile life? He will [k]spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a person (M)what will happen after him under the sun?

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 6:1 Lit upon
  2. Ecclesiastes 6:2 Lit eat from it
  3. Ecclesiastes 6:2 Lit eats it
  4. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Lit the days of his years
  5. Ecclesiastes 6:5 Lit more rest has this one than that
  6. Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit the soul
  7. Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit filled
  8. Ecclesiastes 6:9 Lit goes after
  9. Ecclesiastes 6:10 Or Him who
  10. Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit days
  11. Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit do
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Ecclesiastes 6
Lexham English Bible

Those Who Have Wealth but Do Not Enjoy It Are Pitiful

6 Here is another misfortune that I have seen under the sun, and it is prevalent among humankind. 2 God gives a man wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; yet God does not enable him to enjoy it—instead someone else ends up enjoying it. This is vanity—indeed, it is a grievous ill!

3 Even if a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years so that the days of his years are many, if his heart[a] is not satisfied with his prosperity[b] and he does not receive a proper burial,[c] I deem the stillborn better than him. 4 For he comes into vanity and departs into darkness, and his name is shrouded in darkness. 5 He has neither seen nor known the sun, yet he has more rest than him. 6 Even if a man[d] lives a thousand years twice, if he[e] does not enjoy prosperity,[f] both suffer the same fate![g]

One Must Learn to Be Content with What One Has

7 All of a man’s toil is for his mouth—
    yet his appetite is never satisfied.
8 So do the wise really have an advantage over fools?
    Can the poor really gain anything by knowing how to act in front of others?[h]
9 Better to be content with what your eyes see
    than for your soul to constantly crave more.[i]
This also is vanity and chasing wind!

It is Futile for Humans to Complain about God’s Irresistible Will

10 Whatever is—it was already determined,
    what will be—it has already been decided.[j]
As for man, he cannot argue
    against what is more powerful than him.
11 Increasing words only multiplies futility,[k]
    how does that profit anyone?

The Future is Inscrutable to Humans

12 For who knows what is good for a man in his life during the few days of his fleeting life, which are fleeting as a shadow? For who can tell anyone what will happen in the future[l] under the sun?

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Or “his soul”
  2. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Literally “the good”
  3. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Literally “and also there is no burial for him”
  4. Ecclesiastes 6:6 Hebrew “he”
  5. Ecclesiastes 6:6 Hebrew “and”
  6. Ecclesiastes 6:6 Literally “good”
  7. Ecclesiastes 6:6 Literally “are not the all going to the same place?”
  8. Ecclesiastes 6:8 Literally “What is there for the poor knowing how to conduct themselves before the living?”
  9. Ecclesiastes 6:9 Literally “Sight of the eyes is better than wandering of desire”
  10. Ecclesiastes 6:10 Literally “and his name is known what he is man”
  11. Ecclesiastes 6:11 Literally “Where there are numerous words, it makes numerous vanity”
  12. Ecclesiastes 6:12 Literally “after him”
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Ecclesiastes 6
New International Version

6 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 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.
11 The more the words,
    the less the meaning,
    and how does that profit anyone?

12 For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days(J) they pass through like a shadow?(K) Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?

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Ecclesiastes 5
Ecclesiastes 7
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Lexham English Bible (LEB)

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