Catholic Public Domain Version
"And so, this has seemed good to me: that a person should eat and drink, and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun, for the number of the days of his life that God has given him. For this is his portion. "
— Ecclesiastes 5:17, Catholic Public Domain Version
“All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.”
“All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he is sore vexed, and hath sickness and wrath. ”
“All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.”
“Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger.”
“This therefore hath seemed good to me, that a man should eat and drink, and enjoy the fruit of his labour, wherewith he hath laboured under the sun, all the days of his life, which God hath given him: and this is his portion.”
“All his days are in the dark, and he has much sorrow, pain, disease, and trouble.”
“All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.”
Just as he went forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.
It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived, so shall he return. How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind?
All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.
And so, this has seemed good to me: that a person should eat and drink, and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun, for the number of the days of his life that God has given him. For this is his portion.
And this is a gift from God: that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources, and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these, may enjoy his portion, and may find joy in his labors.
And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.