Ecclesiastes 6
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
The Frustration of Desires
6 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind: 2 those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honour, 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. 3 A man may beget a hundred children, and live for 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. 4 For it comes into vanity and goes into 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. 8 For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living? 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.[a]
10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what human beings are, and that they are not able to dispute with those who are stronger. 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?
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 6:9 Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1
Ecclesiastes 6
English Standard Version
6 (A)There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man (B)to whom (C)God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he (D)lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God (E)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 (F)the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's (G)good things, and he also has no (H)burial, I say that (I)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 (J)seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds (K)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 (L)All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.[c] 8 For what advantage has the wise man (M)over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better (N)is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is (O)vanity and a striving after wind.
10 Whatever has come to be has (P)already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to (Q)dispute with one stronger than he. 11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? 12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his (R)vain[d] life, which he passes like (S)a shadow? For who can tell man what will be (T)after him under the sun?
Footnotes
- 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 6:12 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
Ecclesiastes 6
Tree of Life Version
Futility of Living Without God
6 There is a misery that I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon humanity. 2 God gives a man riches, wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to eat from it—instead a foreigner will eat it. This is fruitless—an agonizing illness.
3 Even if a man should father a hundred children and live many years, however many the days of his years may be, yet his soul is never satisfied with his prosperity and he does not have a proper burial, then I say that it is better for the stillborn than him. 4 Even though it comes in futility and departs into darkness, though its name is shrouded in darkness, 5 though it has never seen or experienced the sun, it has more rest than the other. 6 Even if the other man were to live a thousand years twice and never enjoy good things—do not all go to the same place?
7 All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. 8 So what advantage has the wise over the fool? What does the pauper gain by knowing how to walk before the living? 9 Better is what the eyes see than the pursuit of the soul’s desires. This too is fleeting and striving after wind.
10 Whatever exists has already been named, and it has been made known what humanity is. But man cannot contend with the One who is mightier than he. 11 When there are many words, futility increases! How does that benefit anyone?
12 For who knows what is good for one during his life—during the few days of his fleeting life—that pass like a shadow? For who can tell a person what happens after him under the sun?
Ecclesiastes 6
Modern English Version
6 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor so that there is no want in his life from among anything that he desires; yet God does not give him ability to eat from them because another man eats and enjoys from his possessions. This is vanity and a tormenting injustice.
3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life’s good things, and he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he— 4 for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered up. 5 Moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds rest rather than he. 6 Though the man may live a thousand years, twice over, yet he does not see the good things. Does not everyone go to the same place?
7 All the labor of man is for his mouth,
yet his appetite is not satisfied.
8 For what benefit is there for the wise
over the fool?
And what more does the poor man know
who walks before others?
9 Better to be content with the sight of eyes
than to have a wandering appetite.
This is vanity
and like chasing the wind.
10 Whatever happens, it has already been given a name,
and it is known what man is;
he cannot contend with Him who is stronger than he.
11 The more words,
the more vanity,
so what profit is there to mankind?
12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life which pass like a shadow? For who can tell men what will be after them under the sun?
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.