Eccl.6.1
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
Eccl.6.1
I looked long and hard at what goes on around here, and let me tell you, things are bad. And people feel it.
Eccl.6.1
I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on men:
Eccl.6.1
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
Eccl.6.1
There is another serious tragedy I have seen in our world.
Eccl.6.2
A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
Eccl.6.2
There are people, for instance, on whom God showers everything--money, property, reputation--all they ever wanted or dreamed of. And then God doesn't let them enjoy it. Some stranger comes along and has all the fun. It's more of what I'm calling smoke. A bad business.
Eccl.6.2
God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.
Eccl.6.2
A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner consumes it. This is vanity, and it is an evil affliction.
Eccl.6.2
God gives great wealth and honor to some people and gives them everything they could ever want, but then he doesn't give them the health to enjoy it. They die, and others get it all! This is meaningless--a sickening tragedy.
Eccl.6.3
If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
Eccl.6.3
Say a couple have scores of children and live a long, long life but never enjoy themselves--even though they end up with a big funeral! I'd say that a stillborn baby gets the better deal.
Eccl.6.3
A 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.
Eccl.6.3
If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he--
Eccl.6.3
A man might have a hundred children and live to be very old. But if he finds no satisfaction in life and in the end does not even get a decent burial, I say he would have been better off born dead.
Eccl.6.4
For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
Eccl.6.4
It gets its start in a mist and ends up in the dark--unnamed.
Eccl.6.4
It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded.
Eccl.6.4
for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
Eccl.6.4
I realize that his birth would have been meaningless and ended in darkness. He wouldn't even have had a name,
Eccl.6.5
Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
Eccl.6.5
It sees nothing and knows nothing, but is better off by far than anyone living.
Eccl.6.5
Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man-
Eccl.6.5
Though it has not seen the sun or known anything, this has more rest than that man,
Eccl.6.5
and he would never have seen the sun or known of its existence. Yet he would have had more peace than he has in growing up to be an unhappy man.
Eccl.6.6
Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
Eccl.6.6
Even if someone lived a thousand years--make it two thousand!-but didn't enjoy anything, what's the point? Doesn't everyone end up in the same place?
Eccl.6.6
even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
Eccl.6.6
even if he lives a thousand years twice--but has not seen goodness. Do not all go to one place?
Eccl.6.6
He might live a thousand years twice over but not find contentment. And since he must die like everyone else--well, what's the use?
Eccl.6.7
All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
Eccl.6.7
We work to feed our appetites; Meanwhile our souls go hungry.
Eccl.6.7
All man's efforts are for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.
Eccl.6.7
All the labor of man is for his mouth, And yet the soul is not satisfied.
Eccl.6.7
All people spend their lives scratching for food, but they never seem to have enough.
Eccl.6.8
For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
Eccl.6.8
So what advantage has a sage over a fool, or over some poor wretch who barely gets by?
Eccl.6.8
What advantage has a wise man over a fool? What does a poor man gain by knowing how to conduct himself before others?
Eccl.6.8
For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, Who knows how to walk before the living?
Eccl.6.8
Considering this, do wise people really have any advantage over fools? Do poor people gain anything by being wise and knowing how to act in front of others?
Eccl.6.9
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
Eccl.6.9
Just grab whatever you can while you can; don't assume something better might turn up by and by. All it amounts to anyway is smoke. And spitting into the wind.
Eccl.6.9
Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Eccl.6.9
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Eccl.6.9
Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless; it is like chasing the wind.
Eccl.6.10
That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
Eccl.6.10
Whatever happens, happens. Its destiny is fixed. You can't argue with fate.
Eccl.6.10
Whatever exists has already been named, and what man is has been known; no man can contend with one who is stronger than he.
Eccl.6.10
Whatever one is, he has been named already, For it is known that he is man; And he cannot contend with Him who is mightier than he.
Eccl.6.10
Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there's no use arguing with God about your destiny.
Eccl.6.11
Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
Eccl.6.11
The more words that are spoken, the more smoke there is in the air. And who is any better off?
Eccl.6.11
The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone?
Eccl.6.11
Since there are many things that increase vanity, How is man the better?
Eccl.6.11
The more words you speak, the less they mean. So why overdo it?
Eccl.6.12
For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Eccl.6.12
And who knows what's best for us as we live out our meager smoke--and-shadow lives? And who can tell any of us the next chapter of our lives?
Eccl.6.12
For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the few and meaningless days he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell him what will happen under the sun after he is gone?
Eccl.6.12
For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he passes like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will happen after him under the sun?
Eccl.6.12
In the few days of our empty lives, who knows how our days can best be spent? And who can tell what will happen in the future after we are gone?
