Parallel Bible results for "ecclesiastes 6"

Ecclesiastes 6

The Complete Jewish Bible CJB

1 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on people:

2 the case in which God gives someone riches, wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing that he wants; but God does not give him the power to enjoy them, and some stranger gets to enjoy them - this is meaningless, evil, sick.

3 Suppose a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that he has a long life, but he fails to enjoy himself; then, even if he were to [live indefinitely and therefore] never be buried, I say that it would be better to be born dead.

4 For the arrival of a stillborn baby is a futile thing, and its departure is in darkness; its name is [forgotten,] covered in darkness;

5 and although it has never seen or known the sun, it is more content than he is,

6 without enjoying himself, even if he were to live a thousand years twice over. Doesn't everyone go to the same place?

7 The purpose of all toil is to fill the mouth, yet the appetite is never satisfied.

8 What advantage has the wise over the fool, or the person with experience, if he is poor?

9 Better what the eyes can see than meandering desire. Yet this too is pointless and feeding on wind.

10 Whatever he is, he was named long ago, and it is known that he is merely human; moreover, he cannot defeat what is mightier than he [death].

11 There are many things that only add to futility, so how do humans benefit from them?

12 For who knows what is good for someone during life, during the days of his pointless life spent like a shadow? Who can tell what will happen under the sun after a person is gone?

The Message Bible MSG

1 I looked long and hard at what goes on around here, and let me tell you, things are bad. And people feel it.

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.

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.

4 It gets its start in a mist and ends up in the dark - unnamed.

5 It sees nothing and knows nothing, but is better off by far than anyone living.

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?

7 We work to feed our appetites; Meanwhile our souls go hungry.

8 So what advantage has a sage over a fool, or over some poor wretch who barely gets by?

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.

10 Whatever happens, happens. Its destiny is fixed. You can't argue with fate.

11 The more words that are spoken, the more smoke there is in the air. And who is any better off?

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?