Ecclesiastes 6:2 net — God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable h…

NET Bible

"God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor– instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune."

— Ecclesiastes 6:2, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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Ecclesiastes 6:2 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.”

  • ASV

    “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. ”

  • WEB

    “a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.”

  • DRB

    “A man to whom God hath given riches, and substance, and honour, and his soul wanteth nothing of all that he desireth: yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but a stranger shall eat it up. This is vanity and a great misery.”

  • BBE

    “A man to whom God gives money, wealth, and honour so that he has all his desires but God does not give him the power to have joy of it, and a strange man takes it. This is to no purpose and an evil disease.”

  • KJVA

    “A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.”

Ecclesiastes 6 — Context

1

Not Everyone Enjoys Life Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:

2

God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor– instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.

3

Even if a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years– even if he lives a long, long time, but cannot enjoy his prosperity– even if he were to live forever– I would say,“A stillborn child is better off than he is!”

4

Though the stillborn child came into the world for no reason and departed into darkness, though its name is shrouded in darkness,

5

though it never saw the light of day nor knew anything, yet it has more rest than that man–

Ecclesiastes 6:2 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Ecclesiastes 6:2 say?
Ecclesiastes 6:2 in the NET Bible reads: “God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor– instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.”
Where is Ecclesiastes 6:2 in the Bible?
Ecclesiastes 6:2 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 6, verse 2.
Who wrote Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes is traditionally attributed to Solomon (traditional; identified as "the Preacher, son of David"). It was written c. 940 BC.
What is the book of Ecclesiastes about?
Ecclesiastes is a candid meditation on life "under the sun" — its pleasures, its pains, and its apparent vanity. The Preacher tries wisdom, wealth, work, and pleasure, finds them all empty without God, and concludes that fearing God and keeping his commandments is the whole of man.
What are the major themes of Ecclesiastes?
Ecclesiastes explores themes including Vanity, Time, Meaning, Fear of God, Mortality. These themes shape the meaning and context of Ecclesiastes 6:2.
What translation should I read Ecclesiastes 6:2 in?
Ecclesiastes 6:2 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Ecclesiastes 6:2?
Ecclesiastes 6:2 reads (NET): “God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor– instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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