Ecclesiastes 6:1-3

New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

The Frustration of Desires

6 There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind: ² those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that they lack nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous ill. ³ A man may beget a hundred children, and live many years; but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life’s good things, or has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.