Ecclesiastes, the Preacher

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 6 -

The futility of life

There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it [is] great on man:

A man to whom God gives wealth, and riches, and honor, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desires, and God does not give him power to eat of it, but a stranger eats it; this [is] vanity, and it [is] an evil disease.

If a man begets one hundred, and lives many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he has not had a grave, I have said, “Better than he [is] the untimely birth.”

For in vanity he came in, and in darkness he goes, and in darkness his name is covered,

even the sun he has not seen nor known, more rest has this than that.

And though he had lived one thousand years twice over, yet he has not seen good; does not everyone go to the same place?

All the labor of man [is] for his mouth, || And yet the soul is not filled.

For what advantage [is] to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knows to walk before the living?

Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This [is] also vanity and distress of spirit.

What [is] that which has been? Already is its name called, and it is known that it [is] man, || And he is not able to contend with him who is stronger than he.

For there are many things multiplying vanity; What advantage [is] to man?

For who knows what [is] good for a man in life, the number of the days of the life of his vanity, and he makes them as a shadow? For who declares to man what is after him under the sun?

The futility of life

There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:

a 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.

If 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;

for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.

Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t all go to one place?

All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Whatever 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.

For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

For 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?