Ecclesiastes 6
6
Those Who Have Wealth but Do Not Enjoy It Are Pitiful
1Here is another misfortune that I have seen under the sun, and it is prevalent among humankind. 2God gives a man wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; yet God does not enable him to enjoy it—instead someone else ends up enjoying it. This is vanity—indeed, it is a grievous ill!
3Even if a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years so that the days of his years are many, if his heart#Or “his soul” is not satisfied with his prosperity#Literally “the good” and he does not receive a proper burial,#Literally “and also there is no burial for him” I deem the stillborn better than him. 4For he comes into vanity and departs into darkness, and his name is shrouded in darkness. 5He has neither seen nor known the sun, yet he has more rest than him. 6Even if a man#Hebrew “he” lives a thousand years twice, if he#Hebrew “and” does not enjoy prosperity,#Literally “good” both suffer the same fate!#Literally “are not the all going to the same place?”
One Must Learn to Be Content with What One Has
7All of a man’s toil is for his mouth—
yet his appetite is never satisfied.
8So do the wise really have an advantage over fools?
Can the poor really gain anything by knowing how to act in front of others?#Literally “What is there for the poor knowing how to conduct themselves before the living?”
9Better to be content with what your eyes see
than for your soul to constantly crave more.#Literally “Sight of the eyes is better than wandering of desire”
This also is vanity and chasing wind!
It is Futile for Humans to Complain about God’s Irresistible Will
10Whatever is—it was already determined,
what will be—it has already been decided.#Literally “and his name is known what he is man”
As for man, he cannot argue
against what is more powerful than him.
11Increasing words only multiplies futility,#Literally “Where there are numerous words, it makes numerous vanity”
how does that profit anyone?
The Future is Inscrutable to Humans
12For who knows what is good for a man in his life during the few days of his fleeting life, which are fleeting as a shadow? For who can tell anyone what will happen in the future#Literally “after him” under the sun?
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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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