6:1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:
6:1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun and it is prevalent among men--

6:2 a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
6:2 a man to whom God has given riches and wealth and honor so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires, but God has not empowered him to eat from them, for a foreigner enjoys them. This is vanity and a severe affliction.

6:3 If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul be not filled with good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he:
6:3 If a man fathers a hundred [children] and lives many years, however many they 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,

6:4 for it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and the name thereof is covered with darkness;
6:4 for it comes in futility and goes into obscurity; and its name is covered in obscurity.

6:5 moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather than the other:
6:5 "It never sees the sun and it never knows [anything;] it is better off than he.

6:6 yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoy no good, do not all go to one place?
6:6 "Even if the [other] man lives a thousand years twice and does not enjoy good things-- do not all go to one place?"

6:7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
6:7 All a man's labor is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied.

6:8 For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? (or) what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?
6:8 For what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What [advantage] does the poor man have, knowing [how] to walk before the living?

6:9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
6:9 What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.

6:10 Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago; and it is know what man is; neither can he contend with him that is mightier than he.
6:10 Whatever exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is.

6:11 Seeing there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
6:11 For there are many words which increase futility. What [then] is the advantage to a man?

6:12 For 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?
6:12 For who knows what is good for a man during [his] lifetime, [during] the few years of his futile life? He will spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?