Ecclesiastes 6:3 “A man may father a hundred children and live for many years; yet no ma…”

Ecclesiastes 6:3

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.

Berean Standard Bible

Other translations

King James Version

If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

World English Bible

If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he;

American Standard Version

If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul be not filled with good, and moreover he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he:

Geneva Bible 1599

If a man beget an hundreth children and liue many yeeres, and the dayes of his yeeres be multiplied, and his soule be not satisfied with good things, and he be not buried, I say that an vntimely fruite is better then he.

Darby Translation

If a man beget a hundred [sons], and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, but his soul be not filled with good, and also he have no burial, I say an untimely birth is better than he.

Young's Literal Translation

If a man doth beget a hundred, and live many years, and is great, because they are the days of his years, and his soul is not satisfied from the goodness, and also he hath not had a grave, I have said, 'Better than he [is] the untimely birth.'

Bible in Basic English

If a man has a hundred children, and his life is long so that the days of his years are great in number, but his soul takes no pleasure in good, and he is not honoured at his death; I say that a birth before its time is better than he.

.mt-body { max-height: none !important; -webkit-mask-image: none !important; mask-image: none !important; } .mt-bar { display: none !important; } .o-trans::after { display: block !important; }

Cross references

“a man”

Genesis 33:5 2 Kings 10:1 1 Chronicles 28:5 2 Chronicles 11:21 Esther 5:11 Proverbs 17:6

Genesis 33:5 · BSB

When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he asked, “Who are these with you?” Jacob answered, “These are the children God has graciously given your servant.”

2 Kings 10:1 · BSB

Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the officials of Jezreel, to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab, saying:

1 Chronicles 28:5 · BSB

And of all my sons—for the LORD has given me many sons—He has chosen Solomon my son to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel.

2 Chronicles 11:21 · BSB

Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his wives and concubines. In all, he had eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and he was the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters.

Esther 5:11 · BSB

Haman recounted to them his glorious wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored and promoted him over the other officials and servants.

Proverbs 17:6 · BSB

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of a son is his father.

“so”

Genesis 47:9 Ecclesiastes 5:17–19

Genesis 47:9 · BSB

“My travels have lasted 130 years,” Jacob replied. “My years have been few and hard, and they have not matched the years of the travels of my fathers.”

Ecclesiastes 5:17–19 · BSB

Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.

“and also”

2 Kings 9:35 Jeremiah 22:19 Esther 7:10 Jeremiah 36:30 Esther 9:14 Esther 9:15

2 Kings 9:35 · BSB

But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing but her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands.

Jeremiah 22:19 · BSB

He will be buried like a donkey, dragged away and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.

Esther 7:10 · BSB

So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the fury of the king subsided.

Jeremiah 36:30 · BSB

Therefore this is what the LORD says about Jehoiakim king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on David’s throne, and his body will be thrown out and exposed to heat by day and frost by night.

Esther 9:14 · BSB

So the king commanded that this be done. An edict was issued in Susa, and they hanged the ten sons of Haman.

Esther 9:15 · BSB

On the fourteenth day of the month of Adar, the Jews in Susa came together again and put to death three hundred men there, but they did not lay a hand on the plunder.

“that an”

Job 3:16 Ecclesiastes 4:3 Psalm 58:8 Matthew 26:24

Job 3:16 · BSB

Or why was I not hidden like a stillborn child, like an infant who never sees daylight?

Ecclesiastes 4:3 · BSB

But better than both is he who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil that is done under the sun.

Psalm 58:8 · BSB

Like a slug that dissolves in its slime, like a woman’s stillborn child, may they never see the sun.

Matthew 26:24 · BSB

The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed. It would be better for him if he had not been born.”

Also

Jeremiah 8:2

Jeremiah 8:2 · BSB

They will be exposed to the sun and moon, and to all the host of heaven which they have loved, served, followed, consulted, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up or buried, but will become like dung lying on…

Cross references adapted from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0) and the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

In context

2God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction.

4For a stillborn child enters in futility and departs in darkness, and his name is shrouded in obscurity.

Read Ecclesiastes 6