Ecclesiastes 6
Expanded Bible
6 I have ·seen [observed] something else ·wrong [evil] ·here on earth [L under the sun; 1:3] that ·causes serious problems for [is frequent among] people. 2 God gives great wealth, ·riches [possessions], and honor to some people; they ·have everything [L lack nothing] they want. But God does not let them ·enjoy such things [L eat of it]; a stranger ·enjoys them instead [L eats of it]. This is useless [1:2] and ·very wrong [a sickening evil]. 3 A man might have a hundred children and live ·a long time [L many years], but what good is it if he ·can’t enjoy the good God gives him [L is not satisfied with the good things he has] or have a proper burial? I say a ·baby born dead [stillborn] is better off than he is. 4 A ·baby born dead [stillborn] is useless [1:2]. ·It returns to darkness without even a name [L Its name is shrouded/obscured in darkness]. 5 That baby never saw the sun and never knew ·anything [or the sun], but it finds more rest than that man. 6 Even if he lives ·two thousand years [L a thousand years two times over], he doesn’t ·enjoy the good God gives him [L experience good times]. ·Everyone is going [L Do not all go…?] to the same place [C the grave].
7 ·People work just to feed themselves [L All toil of humans is for their mouths],
but ·they never seem to get enough to eat [L their appetite is never filled; Prov. 16:26].
8 In this way ·a wise person
is no better off than [L what advantage/profit is there for a wise person over…?] a fool.
·Then, too, it does a poor person little good
to know how to get along in life [What do the poor have by knowing how to act in front of the living?].
9 ·It is better to see what you have
than to want more [L The sight of the eyes is better than wandering desire].
·Wanting more [L This also] is useless [1:2]—
like chasing the wind.
Who Can Understand God’s Plan?
10 Whatever happens was ·planned long ago [L already called by name].
Everyone knows what people are like.
No one can argue with ·God,
who [L one who] is stronger than anyone.
11 ·The more you say,
the more useless it is [There are many words that increase meaninglessness; 1:2].
What good does it do?
12 People have only a few useless [1:2] days of life on the earth; their ·short life [L few days] passes like a shadow [1 Chr. 29:15; Ps. 144:4; Job 8:9; 14:12]. Who knows what is ·best [good] for them while they live? Who can tell them what ·the future will bring [L will happen after them]?
Ecclesiastes 6
Christian Standard Bible
6 Here is a tragedy I have observed under the sun,(A) and it weighs heavily on humanity:[a] 2 God gives a person riches, wealth, and honor(B) so that he lacks nothing of all he desires for himself,(C) 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,[b] if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial,(D) I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.(E) 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?(G) 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.(H) This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.[d](I)
10 Whatever exists was given its name long ago,[e](J) and it is known what mankind is. But he is not able to contend with the one stronger than he.(K) 11 For when there are many words, they increase futility.(L) What is the advantage for mankind? 12 For who knows what is good for anyone in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow?(M) Who can tell anyone what will happen after him under the sun?
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The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.