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a 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.

A man might father a hundred children,[a] and live for many years, so that the length of his life[b] is long—but if his life does not overflow with goodness, and he doesn’t receive a proper[c] burial, I maintain that stillborn children[d] are better off than he is, because stillborn children[e] arrive in pointlessness, leave in darkness, and their names are covered in darkness.

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Footnotes

  1. Ecclesiastes 6:3 The Heb. lacks children
  2. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Lit. years
  3. Ecclesiastes 6:3 The Heb. lacks proper
  4. Ecclesiastes 6:3 Lit. child; and so through v. 5
  5. Ecclesiastes 6:4 Lit. because he