6:1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is widespread ①among mankind:
▷ ①Lit upon
6:2 a person to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God has not given him the opportunity to ①enjoy these things, but a foreigner ②enjoys them. This is futility and a severe affliction.
▷ ①Lit eat from it ②Lit eats it
6:3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many ①they may be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, “Better the miscarriage than he,
▷ ①Lit the days of his years
6:4 for a miscarriage comes in futility and goes into darkness; and its name is covered in darkness.
6:5 It has not even seen the sun nor does it know it; yet ①it is better off than that man.
▷ ①Lit more rest has this one than that
6:6 Even if the man lives a thousand years twice, but does not see good things—do not all go to one and the same place?”
6:7 All a person’s labor is for his mouth, and yet ①his appetite is not ②satisfied.
▷ ①Lit the soul ②Lit filled
6:8 For what advantage does the wise person have over the fool? What does the poor person have, knowing how to walk before the living?
6:9 What the eyes see is better than what the soul ①desires. This too is futility and striving after wind.
▷ ①Lit goes after
6:10 Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with the ①one who is mightier than he is.
▷ ①Or Him who
6:11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a person?
6:12 For who knows what is good for a person during his lifetime, during the few ①years of his futile life? He will ②spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a person what will happen after him under the sun?
▷ ①Lit days ②Lit do