Ecclesiastes 6 WEB
Summary: The Preacher names a particular evil: a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor so that he lacks nothing, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead — this he calls vanity and a sore affliction. He argues that even a man who fathers a hundred children and lives many years is worse off than a stillborn child if his soul is not satisfied with good things and he receives no proper burial. All man's toil is for his mouth, yet appetite is never filled, and the wise fare no better than the fool; the chapter ends asking who can know what is good for a person during the few, fleeting days of a vain life.
1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:
2a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial; I say, that a stillborn child is better than he:
4for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
5Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.
6Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t all go to one place?
7All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
8For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?
9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
10Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.
11For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?
12For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
Also read this chapter in: KJV, ASV, WYC, GNV, WBT, DBY, YLT