Ecclesiastes 6
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1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:1There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:
2A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.2God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.
3If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he—3A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
4for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.4For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.
5Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man,5The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,
6even if he lives a thousand years twice—but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place?6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
7All the labor of man is for his mouth, And yet the soul is not satisfied.7All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.
8For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, Who knows how to walk before the living?8What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?
9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.9Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
10Whatever one is, he has been named already, For it is known that he is man; And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.10Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
11Since there are many things that increase vanity, How is man the better?11For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?
12For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?12For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved.
Ecclesiastes 5
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