The Futility of Life
7 All a person’s labor is for his mouth, and yet [f]his appetite is not [g]satisfied. 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? 9 What the eyes see is better than what the soul [h]desires. This too is futility and striving after wind.
10 Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with the [i]one who is mightier than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a person? 12 For who knows what is good for a person during his lifetime, during the few [j]years of his futile life? He will [k]spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a person what will happen after him under the sun?
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 6:1 Lit upon
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 Lit eat from it
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 Lit eats it
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 Lit the days of his years
- Ecclesiastes 6:5 Lit more rest has this one than that
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit the soul
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit filled
- Ecclesiastes 6:9 Lit goes after
- Ecclesiastes 6:10 Or Him who
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit days
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit do