Ecclesiastes 6:5
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.
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.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- The child, though neither seeing the sun nor knowing anything, has more rest than that man,
- KJV
- Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
- WEB
- Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.
- ASV
- moreover it hath not seen the sun nor known it; this hath rest rather than the other:
- DARBY
- moreover it hath not seen nor known the sun: this hath rest rather than the other.
- BLB
- Even he has not seen the sun and has not known it, more rest [is] unto this one than this one.
- ÅB
- og det har hverken sett eller kjent solen; det har mere ro enn han.
- OTB
- Selv om det ikke har sett solen eller kjent noe, finner det mer hvile enn den mannen.
- B1930
- og det har hverken sett eller kjent solen; det har mere ro enn han.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Psalms 90:7–9
For we are consumed by Your anger and terrified by Your wrath.
Read in contextJob 14:1
“Man, who is born of woman, is short of days and full of trouble.
Read in contextPsalms 58:8
Like a slug that dissolves in its slime, like a woman’s stillborn child, may they never see the sun.
Read in contextJob 3:10–13
For that night did not shut the doors of the womb to hide the sorrow from my eyes.
Read in context