Ecclesiastes 6 - Contemporary English Version (CEV)

Don't Depend on Wealth

6 There is something else terribly unfair, and it troubles everyone on earth. 2 God may give you everything you want—money, property, and wealth. Then God doesn't let you enjoy it, and someone you don't even know gets it all. That's senseless and terribly unfair!

3 You may live a long time and have a hundred children. But a child born dead is better off than you, unless you enjoy life and have a decent burial. 4-5 That child will never live to see the sun or to have a name, and it will go straight to the world of darkness. But it will still find more rest than you, 6 even if you live two thousand years and don't enjoy life. As you know, we all end up in the same place.

7 We struggle just to have enough to eat, but we are never satisfied. 8 We may be sensible, yet we are no better off than a fool. And if we are poor, it still doesn't do us any good to try to live right. 9 It's better to enjoy what we have than to always want something else, because that makes no more sense than chasing the wind.[a]

10 Everything that happens was decided long ago. We humans know what we are like, and we can't argue with God, because he is[b] too strong for us. 11 The more we talk, the less sense we make, so what good does it do to talk? 12 Life is short and meaningless, and it fades away like a shadow. Who knows what is best for us? Who knows what will happen after we are gone?

Footnotes

  1. 6.9 chasing the wind: See the note at 1.14.
  2. 6.10 with God, because he is: Or “with anyone who is.”

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6 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it [is] great on man: 2 A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it; this [is] vanity, and it [is] an evil...
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6 Also another evil there is (There is also another evil), which I saw under the sun; and certainly it is oft used with men. 2 A man is, to whom God gave riches, and chattel, and honour; and nothing faileth to his soul of all things which he desireth; and God giveth not power to him, that he eat the...
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Ecclesiastes 6 - World English Bible (WEB)

6 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men: 2 a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease. 3 ...
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Ecclesiastes 6 - The Voice (VOICE)

6 Teacher: I have seen another injustice under the sun, one that is a real burden upon humanity. 2 Sometimes God gives money, possessions, and even honor, so that we have everything a person might desire; nothing is lacking. But then, for reasons God only knows, God does not allow him to enjoy the ...
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Ecclesiastes 6 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Futility of Living Without God6 There is a misery that I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon humanity. 2 God gives a man riches, wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to eat from it—instead a foreigner will eat it. This is fruitless...
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Ecclesiastes 6 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Frustration of Desires6 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 van...
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Ecclesiastes 6 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Frustration of Desires6 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 honour, 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...
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Ecclesiastes 6 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Frustration of Desires6 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind:(A)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...
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Ecclesiastes 6 - New Living Translation (NLT)

6 There is another serious tragedy I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity. 2 God gives some people great wealth and honor and everything they could ever want, but then he doesn’t give them the chance to enjoy these things. They die, and someone else, even a stranger, ends up en...
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Ecclesiastes 6 - New Life Version (NLV)

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Ecclesiastes 6 - New King James Version (NKJV)

Wealth Is Not the Goal of Life6 There(A) is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2 A man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor, (B)so that he lacks nothing for himself of all he desires; (C)yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but a foreigner con...
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Ecclesiastes 6 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

6 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honour, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them, and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous...
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Ecclesiastes 6 - New International Version (NIV)

6 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them,(A) and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievou...
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6 I’ve seen another evil thing on this earth. And it’s a heavy load on human beings. 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor. They have everything their hearts desire. But God doesn’t let them enjoy those things. Instead, strangers enjoy them. This doesn’t have any meaning. It’s a ver...
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Ecclesiastes 6 - New English Translation (NET)

Not Everyone Enjoys Life6 Here is[a] another misfortune[b] that I have seen on earth,[c]and it weighs heavily[d] on people:[e]2 God gives a man riches, property, and wealthso that he lacks nothing that his heart[f] desires,[g]yet God does not enable[h] him to enjoy[i] the fruit of his labor[j]—inste...
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