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
1Here is a tragedy I have observed under the sun, # Ec 5:13 and it weighs heavily on humanity: # Or it is common among men 2God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor # 1Kg 3:13 so that he lacks nothing of all he desires for himself, # Ps 17:14; 73:7 but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a sickening tragedy. 3A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives, # Lit how many years if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial, # Is 14:20; Jr 8:2; 22:19 I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. # Jb 3:16; Ec 4:3 4For he comes in futility and he goes in darkness, and his name is shrouded in darkness. 5Though a stillborn child does not see the sun and is not conscious, it has more rest than he. 6And if he lives a thousand years twice, but does not experience happiness, do not both go to the same place?
7All man’s labor is for his stomach, # Lit mouth # Pr 16:26
yet the appetite is never satisfied.
8What advantage then does the wise man have over the fool? # Ec 2:15 What advantage is there for the poor person who knows how to conduct himself before others? 9Better what the eyes see than wandering desire. # Ec 11:9 This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. # Ec 1:14
10Whatever exists was given its name long ago, # Lit name already # Gn 2:19; Ec 1:9-10; 3:15 and it is known what man is. But he is not able to contend with the One stronger than he. # Jb 9:32; Is 45:9 11For when there are many words, they increase futility. # Pr 10:19; Mt 6:7 What is the advantage for man? 12For who knows what is good for man in life, in the few days of his futile life that he spends like a shadow? # Ec 3:22 Who can tell man what will happen after him under the sun?
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