The actual, original, first printing of the 1611 King James Version (‘HE’ Bible) — Ecclesiastes Chapter 6.

CHAP. VI.

1 The vanitie of riches without vse. 3 Of children, 6 and old age without riches. 9 The vanitie of sight and wandring desires. 11 The conclusion of vanities.

¹ There is an euill which I haue seen vnder the Sun, and it is common among men:

² A man to whom God hath giuen riches, wealth and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that he desireth, yet God giueth him not power to eate thereof, but a stranger eateth it: This is vanitie, and it is an euill disease.

³ ¶ If a man beget an hundred children, and liue many yeeres, so that the dayes of his yeeres bee many: and his soule be not filled with good, and also that he haue no buriall, I say, that an vntimely birth is better then he.

⁴ For he commeth in with vanitie, and departeth in darkenesse, and his name shall be couered with darkenesse.

⁵ Moreouer hee hath not seene the Sunne, nor knowen any thing: this hath more rest then the other.

⁶ ¶ Yea though he liue a thousand yeeres twice told, yet hath he seene no good: Doe not all goe to one place?

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⁷ All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.⁷

⁸ For what hath the wise more then the foole? what hath the poore, that knoweth to walke before the liuing?

⁹ ¶ Better is the sight of the eyes, then the wandering of the desire: this is also vanitie and vexation of spirit.⁹

¹⁰ That which hath bene, is named already, and it is knowen that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier then he.

¹¹ ¶ Seeing there be many things that increase vanitie, what is man the better?

¹² For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the dayes of his vaine life, which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shal be after him vnder the sunne?¹²

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