Ecclesiastes 6 BSB ISV Parallel

◄ Ecclesiastes 6 ►

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Berean Study Bible

International Standard Version

1There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:

1There exists another misfortune that I have observed on earth, and it is a heavy burden upon human beings:

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.

2a man to whom God gives wealth, riches, and honor, so that he lacks none of his heart's desires—but God does not give him the capability to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger consumes them. This is pointless and a grievous affliction.

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.

3A man might father a hundred children, and live for many years, so that the length of his life is long—but if his life does not overflow with goodness, and he doesn't receive a proper burial, I maintain that stillborn children are better off than he is,

4For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.

4because stillborn children arrive in pointlessness, leave in darkness, and their names are covered in darkness.

5The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,

5Furthermore, though they never saw the sun nor learned anything, they are more content 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?

6Even if he lives a thousand years twice over without experiencing the best—aren't all of them going to the same place?

7All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.

7Every person works for his own self-interests, but his desires remain unsatisfied.

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?

8For what advantage has the wise person over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have in knowing how to face life?

9Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

9It is better to focus on what you can see than to meander after your self-interest; this also is pointless and a chasing after wind.

10Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.

10Whatever exists has been named already; people know what it means to be human— and a person cannot defeat one who is more powerful than he.

11For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?

11Because many words lead to pointlessness, how do people benefit from this?

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?

12Who knows what is best for people in this life, every day of their pointless lives that they pass through like a shadow? Who informs people on earth what will come along after them?

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