Ecclesiastes 6
6
1I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
3A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. 4It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. 5Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— 6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
7Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
yet their appetite is never satisfied.
8What advantage have the wise over fools?
What do the poor gain
by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
9Better what the eye sees
than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
a chasing after the wind.
10Whatever exists has already been named,
and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
with someone who is stronger.
11The more the words,
the less the meaning,
and how does that profit anyone?
12For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days they pass through like a shadow? Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
Ecclesiastes 6
6
1 There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and, indeed, it is frequent among men.
2 It is a man to whom God has given wealth, and resources, and honor; and out of all that he desires, nothing is lacking to his life; yet God does not grant him the ability to consume these things, but instead a man who is a stranger will devour them. This is emptiness and a great misfortune.
3 If a man were to produce one hundred children, and to live for many years, and to attain to an age of many days, and if his soul were to make no use of the goods of his resources, and if he were lacking even a burial: concerning such a man, I declare that a miscarried child is better than he.
4 For he arrives without a purpose and he continues on into darkness, and his name shall be wiped away, into oblivion.
5 He has not seen the sun, nor recognized the difference between good and evil.
6 Even if he were to live for two thousand years, and yet not thoroughly enjoy what is good, does not each one hurry on to the same place?
7 Every labor of man is for his mouth, but his soul will not be filled.
8 What do the wise have which is more than the foolish? And what does the pauper have, except to continue on to that place, where there is life?
9 It is better to see what you desire, than to desire what you cannot know. But this, too, is emptiness and a presumption of spirit.
10 Whoever shall be in the future, his name has already been called. And it is known that he is a man and that he is not able to contend in judgment against one who is stronger than himself.
11 There are many words, and many of these, in disputes, hold much emptiness.
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