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6:1  There is a tragedy that I have seen under the sun. It is a terrible one for mortals.
6:2  God gives one person riches, wealth, and honor so that he doesn't lack anything he wants. Yet, God doesn't give him the power to enjoy any of them. Instead, a stranger enjoys them. This is pointless and is a painful tragedy.
6:3  Suppose a rich person wasn't satisfied with good things [while he was alive] and didn't even get an honorable burial [after he died]. Suppose he had a hundred children and lived for many years. No matter how long he would have lived, it [still] would have been better for him to have been born dead.
6:4  A stillborn baby arrives in a pointless birth and goes out into the darkness. The darkness then hides its name.
6:5  Though it has never seen the sun or known anything, the baby finds more rest than the rich person.
6:6  Even if the rich person lives two thousand years without experiencing anything good-don't we all go to the same place?
6:7  Everything that people work so hard for goes into their mouths, but their appetite is never satisfied.
6:8  What advantage does a wise person have over a fool? What advantage does a poor person have in knowing how to face life?
6:9  It is better to look at what is in front of you than to go looking for what you want. Even this is pointless. [It's like] trying to catch the wind.
6:10  Whatever has happened [in the past] already has a name. Mortals are already known for what they are. Mortals cannot argue with the one who is stronger than they.
6:11  The more words there are, the more pointless they become. What advantage do mortals gain from this?
6:12  Who knows what may be good for mortals while they are alive, during the brief, pointless days they live? Mortals pass by like a shadow. Who will tell them about their future under the sun?