Berean Study Bible (BSB) Reader

Ecclesiastes 6

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Current outline context

Introduction 1:1–11
Everything is Futile 1:2–11
The Teacher’s Investigation 1:12–6:12
With Wisdom Comes Sorrow 1:12–18
The Futility of Pleasure 2:1–11
The Wise and the Foolish 2:12–17
The Futility of Labor and Reward 2:18–6:12
The Futility of Work 2:18–26
To Everything There Is a Season 3:1–8
God’s Works Remain Forever 3:9–15
From Dust to Dust 3:16–22
The Evil of Oppression 4:1–12
The Futility of Power 4:13–16
Approaching God with Awe 5:1–7
The Futility of Wealth 5:8–20
The Futility of Life 6:1–12

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1 There is another evil I have seen under the sun, and it weighs heavily upon mankind:

2 God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.

3 A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he is unsatisfied with his prosperity and does not even receive a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

4 For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.

5 The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,

6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

7 All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.

8 What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?

9 Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

10 Whatever exists was named long ago, and it is known what man is; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.

11 For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?

12 For who knows what is good for a man during the few days in which he passes through his fleeting life like a shadow? Who can tell a man what will come after him under the sun?

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VANITY

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