A man to whom God hath given riches and treasures and honor, and he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth: but [a]God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a strange man shall eat it up: this is vanity, and this is an evil sickness.

If a man beget an hundred children and live many years, and the days of his years be multiplied: and his soul be not [b]satisfied with good things, and he be not [c]buried, I say that an untimely fruit is better than he.

For [d]he cometh into vanity, and goeth into darkness: and his name shall be covered with darkness.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 6:2 He showeth that it is the plague of God when the rich man hath not a liberal heart to use his riches.
  2. Ecclesiastes 6:3 If he can never have enough.
  3. Ecclesiastes 6:3 As we see oftentimes that the covetous man either falleth into crimes that deserve death, or is murdered or drowned or hangeth himself, or such like, and so lacketh the honor of burial, which is the last office of humanity.
  4. Ecclesiastes 6:4 Meaning, the untimely fruit whose life did neither profit or hurt any.

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)

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) It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded.

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