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There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men: a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

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 filled with good, and moreover he has no burial; I say that a stillborn child is better than he: for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other. Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t all go to one place? All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

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Controlled appetite

I saw a tragedy under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon humanity. God may give some people plenty of wealth, riches, and glory so that they lack nothing they desire. But God doesn’t enable them to enjoy it; instead, a stranger enjoys it. This is pointless and a sickening tragedy. Some people may have one hundred children and live a long life. But no matter how long they live, if they aren’t content with life’s good things, I say that even a stillborn child with no grave is better off than they are.[a] Because that child arrives pointlessly, then passes away in darkness. Darkness covers its name. It hasn’t seen the sun or experienced anything. But it has more peace than those who live a thousand years twice over but don’t enjoy life’s good things. Isn’t everyone heading to the same destination? All the hard work of humans is for the mouth, but the appetite is never full. What advantage do the wise have over the foolish? Or what do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before the living? It’s better to enjoy what’s at hand than to have an insatiable appetite. This too is pointless, just wind chasing.

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Notas al pie

  1. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Correction; Heb puts the lack of burial site with those who do not enjoy life's good things.