Parallel Bible results for "ecclesiastes 6"

Ecclesiastes 6

New Revised Standard NRS

1 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind:

2 those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that they lack nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous ill.

3 A man may beget a hundred children, and live many years; but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life's good things, or has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

4 For it comes into vanity and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered;

5 moreover it has not seen the sun or known anything; yet it finds rest rather than he.

6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to one place?

7 All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied.

8 For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living?

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

10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what human beings are, and that they are not able to dispute with those who are stronger.

11 The more words, the more vanity, so how is one the better?

12 For who knows what is good for mortals while they live the few days of their vain life, which they pass like a shadow? For who can tell them what will be after them under the sun?

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?