| New King James Version | International Standard Version |
| 1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: | 1There exists another misfortune that I have observed on earth, and it is a heavy burden upon human beings: |
| 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. | 2a man to whom God gives wealth, riches, and honor, so that he lacks none of his heart's desires—but God does not give him the capability to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger consumes them. This is pointless 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 might father a hundred children, and live for many years, so that the length of his life is long—but if his life does not overflow with goodness, and he doesn't receive a proper burial, I maintain that stillborn children are better off than he is, |
| 4for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness. | 4because stillborn children arrive in pointlessness, leave in darkness, and their names are covered in darkness. |
| 5Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man, | 5Furthermore, though they never saw the sun nor learned anything, they are more content than the other. |
| 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 without experiencing the best—aren't all of them going to the same place? |
| 7All the labor of man is for his mouth, And yet the soul is not satisfied. | 7Every person works for his own self-interests, but his desires remain unsatisfied. |
| 8For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, Who knows how to walk before the living? | 8For what advantage has the wise person over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have in knowing how to face life? |
| 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. | 9It is better to focus on what you can see than to meander after your self-interest; this also is pointless and a chasing after 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 has been named already; people know what it means to be human— and a person cannot defeat one who is more powerful than he. |
| 11Since there are many things that increase vanity, How is man the better? | 11Because many words lead to pointlessness, how do people benefit from this? |
| 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? | 12Who knows what is best for people in this life, every day of their pointless lives that they pass through like a shadow? Who informs people on earth what will come along after them? |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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