Parallel Verses
International Standard Version
A man might father a hundred children, and live for many years, so that the length of his life is long but if his life does not overflow with goodness, and he doesn't receive a proper burial, I maintain that stillborn children are better off than he is,
New American Standard Bible
If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many
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.
Holman Bible
A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives,
A Conservative Version
If a man begets a hundred sons, 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 an untimely birth 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:
Amplified
If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they may be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he is not respected and is not given a proper burial [he is not laid to rest in the sepulcher of his fathers], then I say, “Better the miscarriage than he,
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.
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.
Julia Smith Translation
If a man shall beget a hundred, and live many years, and a multitude shall be the days of his years, and his soul shall not be satisfied from good, and also there was no burial to him; I said, Good above him an abortion.
King James 2000
If a man begets a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul is not filled with good, and also that he has no burial; I say, that a stillborn birth is better than he.
Lexham Expanded Bible
Even if a man fathers a hundred [children] and lives many years so that the days of his years are many, if his heart is not satisfied with {his prosperity} and {he does not receive a proper burial}, I deem the stillborn better than him.
Modern King James verseion
If a man fathers a hundred, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul is not filled with good, and also is for him no burial; I say, a miscarriage is better than he.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
If a man beget a hundredth children, and live many years, so that his days are many in number, and yet cannot enjoy his good, neither be buried: as for him I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
NET Bible
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!"
New Heart 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:
The Emphasized Bible
Though a man should beget a hundred children, and live, many years, so that many should be the days of his years but, his own soul, should not be satisfied with the good, and he should not even have, a burial, I said, Better than he, is an untimely birth!
Webster
If a man begetteth a hundred children, and liveth many years, so that the days of his years are many, and his soul is not filled with good, and also that he hath 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:
Youngs 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.'
Topics
Interlinear
Yalad
Chayah
Rab
Shaneh (in pl. only),
Yowm
Shaneh (in pl. only),
Nephesh
Towb
Q@buwrah
References
American
Word Count of 20 Translations in Ecclesiastes 6:3
Verse Info
Context Readings
Those Who Have Wealth But Do Not Enjoy It Are Pitiful
2 a man to whom God gives wealth, riches, and honor, so that he lacks none of his heart's desires but God does not give him the capability to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger consumes them. This is pointless and a grievous affliction. 3 A man might father a hundred children, and live for many years, so that the length of his life is long but if his life does not overflow with goodness, and he doesn't receive a proper burial, I maintain that stillborn children are better off than he is, 4 because stillborn children arrive in pointlessness, leave in darkness, and their names are covered in darkness.
Names
Cross References
Job 3:16
"Or why was I not buried like a stillborn child, like babies who never saw the light?
Ecclesiastes 4:3
Better than both of them is someone who has not yet been born, because he hasn't experienced evil on earth.
Jeremiah 22:19
He will receive a donkey's burial, dragged out and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem."
Genesis 47:9
"I'm 130 years old," Jacob replied. "My years have turned out to be few and unpleasant, but I haven't yet reached the age my ancestors did during their travels on earth."
2 Kings 9:35
But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing left of her except her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands.
Genesis 33:5
When Esau eventually looked around, he saw the women and the children. "Who are these people with you?" he asked.
1 Samuel 2:20-21
Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, "May the LORD give you descendants from this woman in place of the one she dedicated to the LORD." Then they would return to their home.
2 Kings 10:1
Meanwhile, Ahab had 70 sons who lived in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and the guardians of Ahab's children. He told them,
1 Chronicles 28:5
"Now out of all of my sons (since the LORD has given me many of them), he has selected my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD, ruling over Israel.
2 Chronicles 11:21
Rehoboam loved Absalom's daughter Maacah more than he did all of his wives and mistresses. (He married eighteen wives and 60 concubines, fathering 28 sons and 60 daughters.)
Esther 5:11
Then Haman told them about his splendid wealth, the number of his sons, all the ways the king had honored him, and that he had promoted him above all the other officials and ministers of the king.
Esther 7:10
The king said, "Hang him on it." So they hanged Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and then the king's anger subsided.
Esther 9:14-15
The king said, "Let this be done." So an edict was issued in Susa, and Haman's ten sons were hanged on poles.
Psalm 58:8
May they be like a snail that dries up as it crawls; like a woman's stillborn baby, who never saw the sun.
Psalm 127:4-5
As arrows in the hand of a warrior, so also are children born during one's youth.
Proverbs 17:6
Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the pride of children is their parents.
Ecclesiastes 5:17-19
Furthermore, all his days he lives in darkness with great sorrow, anger, and affliction.
Isaiah 14:19-20
But you are cast away from your grave, like a repulsive branch, your clothing is the slain, those pierced by the sword; those who go down to the Pit. Like a dead body trampled underfoot,
Jeremiah 8:2
They'll be spread out to the sun, the moon, and all the stars of the heavens, which they loved and served, and which they followed, consulted, and worshipped. Their bones won't be collected, nor will they be buried. They'll be like dung on the surface of the ground.
Jeremiah 36:30
Therefore, this is what the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim, king of Judah, "He will have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his corpse will be thrown out to rot during the heat of the day and the frost of the night.
Matthew 26:24
The Son of Man is going away, just as it has been written about him. How terrible it will be for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had never been born."