Ecclesiastes 6
1THERE is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men—
2a man to whom God giveth riches and wealth and glory, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he can desire; but God granteth him not a power to eat thereof. In as much as a stranger is to devour it, this is vanity and grievous infirmity.
3Though a man should beget a hundred children and live many years, if during that multitude of years which his days shall continue, his soul shall not be satisfied with an enjoyment of good, and he hath got no burying place, I conclude that an abortive [child] is better than he.
4Grant that it came in vanity and goeth away in darkness; with darkness also his name shall be covered!
5It indeed never saw the light; and he never knew rest: it hath an advantage over him
6though he had lived the revolutions of a thousand years, if he never enjoyed good. Do not all go to one place?
7All the labour of a man is for the mouth; yet the appetite will not be satisfied:
8here then a wise man hath the advantage over a fool; since the poor man knoweth that to pass through life,
9what he sees with the eyes is better for him than to be wandering after appetite, which is indeed vanity and vexation of spirit.
10Whatever hath been is now called by its name, and it is known what man is who cannot contend with one who is stronger than he.
11Since there are many arguments to prove the abundance of vanity; is there any one thing better than another for man?
12Doth anyone know what is good for man in this life? All the days of his life of vanity he hath indeed done these things under a shade; is there any one who can tell him what will be after him under the sun?