Parallel Bible results for "ecclesiastes 6"

Ecclesiastes 6

Revised Standard Version RSV

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

2 a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them; this is vanity; it is a sore affliction.

3 If a man begets a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but he does not enjoy life's good things, and also has no burial, I say that an untimely birth 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 told, yet enjoy no good--do not all go to the one place?

7 All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.

8 For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living?

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

10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to dispute with one stronger than he.

11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is man the better?

12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his vain life, which he passes like a shadow? For who can tell man what will be after him under the sun?

Good News Translation GNT

1 I have noticed that in this world a serious injustice is done.

2 God will give us wealth, honor, and property, yes, everything we want, but then will not let us enjoy it. Some stranger will enjoy it instead. It is useless, and it just isn't right.

3 We may have a hundred children and live a long time, but no matter how long we live, if we do not get our share of happiness and do not receive a decent burial, then I say that a baby born dead is better off.

4 It does that baby no good to be born; it disappears into darkness, where it is forgotten.

5 It never sees the light of day or knows what life is like, but at least it has found rest -

6 more so than the man who never enjoys life, though he may live two thousand years. After all, both of them are going to the same place.

7 We do all our work just to get something to eat, but we never have enough.

8 How are the wise better off than fools? What good does it do the poor to know how to face life?

9 It is useless; it is like chasing the wind. It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.

10 Everything that happens was already determined long ago, and we all know that you cannot argue with someone who is stronger than you.

11 The longer you argue, the more useless it is, and you are no better off.

12 How can anyone know what is best for us in this short, useless life of ours - a life that passes like a shadow? How can we know what will happen in the world after we die?