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Ecclesiastes 6:1-3
New Catholic Bible
Ecclesiastes 6:1-3
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 6
The Impossible Profit.[a] 1 There is another evil that I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily on the human race. 2 God may grant a man wealth, prosperity, and honor so that he lacks none of the things he desires. However, if God does not enable him to enjoy these gifts but rather allows someone else to revel in their benefits, this is vanity and a grievous ill.
3 A man may father a hundred children and live for many years, but no matter how many his days may be, if he does not have the opportunity to enjoy the good things of life and in the end receives no burial, I maintain that a stillborn child is more fortunate than he.[b]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 6:1 The desire to possess does away with any chance of really living, for no one is certain of hanging on to his goods, as is illustrated by three portraits. Not even sages possess security.
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 Many children, a long life, and a proper burial were what constituted true riches. To be without any of these was a disgrace.
Ecclesiastes 6:1-3
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 6:1-3
New International Version
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 grievous evil.(B)
3 A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn(C) child is better off than he.(D)
New International Version (NIV) 
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