“There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is prevalent among men.”
Ecclesiastes 6
9 of 12 verses have a reading · Berean Standard Bible
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Chuck Smith6
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Zac Poonen1
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Carter Conlon1
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Shane Idleman1
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Chuck Smith6
ZP
Zac Poonen1
CC
Carter Conlon1
SI
Shane Idleman1
All voices →
1There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:
2God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.
“A man to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.”
3A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
“If a man begets a hundred children and he lives many years so that the days of his years be many and his soul be not filled with good and also that he has no burial, I say that an untimely birth is better than he.”
4For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.
“For he cometh in with vanity, and he departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.”
5The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,
“Moreover, he hath not seen the sun, nor known anything, and this hath more rest than the other.".”
6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?
“even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not enjoy good things, do not all go to one place.”
7All a man's labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.
“all of the labor of a man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.”
8What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?
“For what hath the wise more than the fool? What hath the poor that knoweth to walk before the living?”
9Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
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10Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
“that which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man. Neither may he contend with him that who is mightier than he.”
11For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?
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12For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?
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