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Ecclesiastes 6
1599 Geneva Bible
Ecclesiastes 6
1599 Geneva Bible
6 The miserable estate of him to whom God hath given riches, and not the grace to use them.
1 There is an evil, which I saw under the sun, and it is much among men:
2 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.
3 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.
4 For [d]he cometh into vanity, and goeth into darkness: and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5 Also he hath not seen the sun, nor known it: therefore this hath more rest than the other.
6 And if he had lived a thousand years twice told, and had seen no good, shall not all go to one place?
7 All the labor of man is for his mouth: yet the [e]soul is not filled.
8 For what hath the wise man more than the fool? what hath the poor that [f]knoweth how to walk before the living?
9 The [g]sight of the eye is better than to walk in the lusts: this also is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
10 What is that that hath been? the name thereof is now named: and it is known that it is man: and he cannot strive with him that is [h]stronger than he.
Footnotes
- 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.
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 If he can never have enough.
- 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.
- Ecclesiastes 6:4 Meaning, the untimely fruit whose life did neither profit or hurt any.
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 His desire and affection.
- Ecclesiastes 6:8 That knoweth to use his goods well in the judgment of men.
- Ecclesiastes 6:9 To be content with that which God hath given, is better than to follow the desires that never can be satisfied.
- Ecclesiastes 6:10 Meaning, God who will make him to feel that he is mortal.
Ecclesiastes 6
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 6
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) 4 It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. 5 Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?(E)
7 Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
yet their appetite is never satisfied.(F)
8 What advantage have the wise over fools?(G)
What do the poor gain
by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
9 Better what the eye sees
than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
a chasing after the wind.(H)
10 Whatever exists has already been named,(I)
and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
with someone who is stronger.
11 The more the words,
the less the meaning,
and how does that profit anyone?
12 For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days(J) they pass through like a shadow?(K) Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?
Ecclesiastes 6
King James Version
Ecclesiastes 6
King James Version
6 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
3 If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.