Ecclesiastes 6 - New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)

The Futility of Life

6 There is an (A)evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent [a]among men— 2 a man to whom God has (B)given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul (C)lacks nothing of all that he desires; yet God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner [b]enjoys them. This is [c]vanity and a severe affliction. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many [d]they be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper (D)burial, then I say, “Better (E)the miscarriage than he, 4 for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity. 5 It never sees the sun and it never knows anything; [e]it is better off than he. 6 Even if the other man lives a thousand years twice and does not [f]enjoy good things—(F)do not all go to one place?”

7 (G)All a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the [g]appetite is not [h]satisfied. 8 For (H)what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living? 9 What the eyes (I)see is better than what the soul [i]desires. This too is (J)futility and a striving after wind.

10 Whatever (K)exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he (L)cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man? 12 For who knows what is good for a man during his lifetime, during the few [j]years of his futile life? He will [k]spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man (M)what will be after him under the sun?

Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 6:1 Lit upon
  2. Ecclesiastes 6:2 Lit eats from them
  3. Ecclesiastes 6:2 Or futility
  4. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Lit the days of his years
  5. Ecclesiastes 6:5 Lit more rest has this one than that
  6. Ecclesiastes 6:6 Lit see
  7. Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit soul
  8. Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit filled
  9. Ecclesiastes 6:9 Lit goes after
  10. Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit days
  11. Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit do

Cross references

  1. Ecclesiastes 6:1 : Eccl 5:13
  2. Ecclesiastes 6:2 : 1 Kin 3:13
  3. Ecclesiastes 6:2 : Ps 17:14; 73:7; Eccl 2:10
  4. Ecclesiastes 6:3 : Is 14:20; Jer 8:2; 22:19
  5. Ecclesiastes 6:3 : Job 3:16; Eccl 4:3
  6. Ecclesiastes 6:6 : Eccl 2:14
  7. Ecclesiastes 6:7 : Prov 16:26
  8. Ecclesiastes 6:8 : Eccl 2:15
  9. Ecclesiastes 6:9 : Eccl 11:9
  10. Ecclesiastes 6:9 : Eccl 1:14
  11. Ecclesiastes 6:10 : Eccl 1:9; 3:15
  12. Ecclesiastes 6:10 : Job 9:32; 40:2; Prov 21:30; Is 45:9
  13. Ecclesiastes 6:12 : Eccl 3:22

You Might Also Like:

Ecclesiastes 6 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

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...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 6 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

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...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

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 ...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 6 - New Life Version (NLV)

6 There is another bad thing which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard for men: 2 God gives a man riches and many good things and honor, so that he has everything he wants. But He does not allow him to have joy from them, for a stranger has joy from them. This is for nothing, and is very bad....
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

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...
Read More

Ecclesiastes 6 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

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...
Read More

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...
Read More