The Vanity of Unenjoyed Wealth
Ecclesiastes 6
The Preacher describes the evil of a man given wealth, substance, and honor by the Lord yet denied the power to enjoy it, so that a stranger consumes it instead. He observes that even a man with many children and long life gains nothing if his soul is not satisfied, concluding that no one truly knows what is good for a man during his few and vain days.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonTHERE is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men—
BrentonThere is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is abundant with man:
GreekἜστι πονηρία ἣν εἶδον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ πολλή ἐστιν ὑπὸ τὸν ἄνθρωπον·
KJVThere is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
JPSThere is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:
2
Thomsona man to whom God giveth riches and wealth and glory, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he can desire; but God granteth him not a power to eat thereof. In as much as a stranger is to devour it, this is vanity and grievous infirmity.
Brentona man to whom God shall give wealth, and substance, and honour, and he wants nothing for his soul of all things that he shall desire, yet God shall not give him power to eat of it, for a stranger shall devour it: this is vanity, and an evil infirmity.
GreekἈνὴρ ᾧ δώσει αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς πλοῦτον καὶ ὑπαρχοντα καὶ δόξαν, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ὑστερῶν τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν ἐπιθυμήσει, καὶ οὐκ ἐξουσιάσει αὐτῷ ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ φαγεῖν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἀνὴρ ξένος φάγεται αὐτόν· τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ ἀῤῥωστία πονηρά ἐστιν.
KJVA 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.
JPSa man to whom God giveth 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
ThomsonThough a man should beget a hundred children and live many years, if during that multitude of years which his days shall continue, his soul shall not be satisfied with an enjoyment of good, and he hath got no burying place, I conclude that an abortive [child] is better than he.
BrentonIf a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, yea, however abundant the days of his years shall be, yet if his soul shall not be satisfied with good, and also he have no burial; I said, An untimely birth is better than he.
GreekἘὰν γεννήσῃ ἀνὴρ ἑκατόν, καὶ ἔτη πολλὰ ζήσεται, καὶ πλῆθος ὅ, τι ἔσονται αἱ ἡμέραι ἐτῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ οὐ πλησθήσεται ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγαθωσύνης, καί γε ταφὴ οὐκ ἐγένετο αὐτῷ, εἶπα, ἀγαθὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτὸν τὸ ἔκτρωμα.
KJVIf 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.
JPSIf a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul have not enough of good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he;
4
ThomsonGrant that it came in vanity and goeth away in darkness; with darkness also his name shall be covered!
BrentonFor he came in vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered in darkness.
GreekὍτι ἐν ματαιότητι ἦλθε, καὶ ἐν σκότει πορεύεται, καὶ ἐν σκότει ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καλυφθήσεται·
KJVFor he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
JPSfor it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;
5
Thomson—
BrentonMoreover he has not seen the sun, nor known rest: there is no more rest to this one than another.
GreekΚαί γε ἥλιον οὐκ εἶδε, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνω ἀναπαύσεις, τούτῳ ὑπὲρ τοῦτον·
KJVMoreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
JPSmoreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath gratification rather than the other;
6
Thomsonthough he had lived the revolutions of a thousand years, if he never enjoyed good. Do not all go to one place?
BrentonThough he has lived to the return of a thousand years, yet he has seen no good: do not all go to one place?
GreekΚαὶ ἔζησε χιλίων ἐτῶν καθόδους, καὶ ἀγαθωσύνην οὐκ εἶδε, μὴ οὐκ εἰς τόπον ἕνα πορεύεται τὰ πάντα;
KJVYea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
JPSyea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and enjoy no good; do not all go to one place?
7
ThomsonAll the labour of a man is for the mouth; yet the appetite will not be satisfied:
BrentonAll the labour of a man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite shall not be satisfied.
GreekΠᾶς μόχθος ἀνθρώπου εἰς στόμα αὐτοῦ, καί γε ἡ ψυχὴ οὐ πληρωθήσεται.
KJVAll the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
JPSAll the labour of man is for his mouth, And yet the appetite is not filled.
8
Thomsonhere then a wise man hath the advantage over a fool; since the poor man knoweth that to pass through life,
BrentonFor what advantage has the wise man over the fool, since even the poor knows how to walk in the direction of life?
GreekὍτι περίσσεια τῷ σοφῷ ὑπὲρ τὸν ἄφρονα, διότι ὁ πένης οἶδε πορευθῆναι κατέναντι τῆς ζωῆς.
KJVFor what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
JPSFor what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or the poor man that hath understanding, in walking before the living?
9
Thomsonwhat he sees with the eyes is better for him than to be wandering after appetite, which is indeed vanity and vexation of spirit.
BrentonThe sight of the eyes is better than that which wanders in soul: this is also vanity, and waywardness of spirit.
GreekἈγαθὸν ὅραμα ὀφθαλμῶν ὑπερπορευόμενον ψυχῇ· καί γε τοῦτο ματαιότης καὶ προαίρεσις πνεύματος.
KJVBetter is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
JPSBetter is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
10
ThomsonWhatever hath been is now called by its name, and it is known what man is who cannot contend with one who is stronger than he.
BrentonIf anything has been, its name has already been called: and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is stronger than he.
GreekΕἰ τι ἐγένετο, ἤδη κέκληται ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐγνώσθη ὅ ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ οὐ δυνήσεται κριθῆναι μετὰ τοῦ ἰσχυροτὲρου ὑπὲρ αὐτόν.
KJVThat 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.
JPSWhatsoever cometh into being, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is foreknown what man is; neither can he contend with Him that is mightier than he.
11
ThomsonSince there are many arguments to prove the abundance of vanity; is there any one thing better than another for man?
BrentonFor there are many things which increase vanity.
GreekὍτι εἰσι λόγοι πολλοὶ πληθύνοντες ματαιότητα.
KJVSeeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
JPSSeeing there are many words that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12
ThomsonDoth anyone know what is good for man in this life? All the days of his life of vanity he hath indeed done these things under a shade; is there any one who can tell him what will be after him under the sun?
BrentonWhat advantage has a man? for who knows what is good for a man in his life, during the number of the life of the days of his vanity? and he has spent them as a shadow; for who shall tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
GreekΤί περισσὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ; ὅτι τίς οἶδεν ἀγαθὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ, ἀριθμὸν ζωῆς ἡμερῶν ματαιότητος αὐτοῦ; καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὰ ἐν σκιᾷ· ὅτι τίς ἀπαγγελεῖ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, τί ἔσται ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον;
KJVFor 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?
JPSFor who knoweth what is good for man in his 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?