Ecclesiastes 6

Not Everyone Enjoys Life

6:1 Here is¹ another misfortune² that I have seen on earth,³

and it weighs⁴ heavily on people:⁵

6:2 God gives a man riches, property, and wealth

so that he lacks nothing that his heart⁶ desires,⁷

yet God does not enable⁸ him to enjoy⁹ the fruit of his labor¹⁰ –

instead, someone else¹¹ enjoys¹² it!¹³

This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.¹⁴

6:3 Even if a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years –

even if he lives a long, long time,¹⁵ but cannot enjoy his prosperity –

even if he were to live forever¹⁶ –

I would say, “A stillborn child¹⁷ is better off than he is!”¹⁸

6:4 Though the stillborn child¹⁹ came into the world²⁰ for no reason²¹ and departed into darkness,

though its name is shrouded in darkness,²²

6:5 though it never saw the light of day²³ nor knew anything,²⁴

yet it has more rest²⁵ than that man –

6:6 if he should live a thousand years twice, yet does not enjoy his prosperity.

For both of them die!²⁶

6:7 All of man’s labor is for nothing more than²⁷ to fill his stomach²⁸ –

yet his appetite²⁹ is never satisfied!

6:8 So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool?³⁰

And what advantage³¹ does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive?³²

6:9 It is better to be content with³³ what the eyes can see³⁴

than for one’s heart always to crave more.³⁵

This continual longing³⁶ is futile – like³⁷ chasing the wind.

The Futile Way Life Works

6:10 Whatever has happened was foreordained,³⁸

and what happens to a person³⁹ was also foreknown.

It is useless for him to argue with God about his fate

because God is more powerful than he is.⁴⁰

6:11 The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes.⁴¹

How does that benefit him?⁴²

6:12 For no one knows what is best for a person during his life⁴³ –

during the few days of his fleeting life –

for⁴⁴ they pass away⁴⁵ like a shadow.

Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.⁴⁶

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