Ecclesiastes 6:1-7:14
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Frustration of Desires
6 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind:(A) 2 those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that they lack nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous ill.(B) 3 A man may father a hundred children and live many years, but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life’s good things or has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.(C) 4 For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered; 5 moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over yet enjoy no good—do not all go to one place?
7 All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied.(D) 8 For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living?(E) 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.(F)
10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what humans are and that they are not able to dispute with those who are stronger.(G) 11 The more words, the more vanity, so how is one the better? 12 For who knows what is good for mortals while they live the few days of their vain life, which they pass like a shadow? For who can tell them what will be after them under the sun?(H)
A Disillusioned View of Life
7 A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death, than the day of birth.(I)
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning
than to go to the house of feasting,
for this is the end of everyone,
and the living will lay it to heart.(J)
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,
for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad.(K)
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,
but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise
than to hear the song of fools.(L)
6 For like the crackling of thorns under a pot,
so is the laughter of fools;
this also is vanity.
7 Surely oppression makes the wise foolish,
and a bribe corrupts the heart.(M)
8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning;
the patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.(N)
9 Do not be quick to anger,
for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.(O)
10 Do not say, “Why were the former days better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance,
an advantage to those who see the sun.(P)
12 For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money,
and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to the one who possesses it.
13 Consider the work of God;
who can make straight what he has made crooked?(Q)
14 In the day of prosperity, be joyful, and in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that mortals may not find out anything that comes after them.(R)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.