Ecclesiastes 6:3 — Compare All Translations

English (YLT) 1898 Young's Literal Translation by Robert Young

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.`

English ASV

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:

English Amplified

If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years so that the days of his years are many, but his life is not filled with good, and also he is given no burial [honors nor is laid to rest in the sepulcher of his fathers], I say that [he who had] an untimely birth [resulting in death] is better off than he, [Job 3:16.]

English Amplified Classic Bible 1987

If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years so that the days of his years are many, but his life is not filled with good, and also he is given no burial [honors nor is laid to rest in the sepulcher of his fathers], I say that [he who had] an untimely birth [resulting in death] is better off than he, [Job 3:16.]

English Berean Standard Bible (BSB) 2025

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.

English CSB 2017 - Christian Standard Bible

A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives, if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

English Darby 1890 : Public Domain

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.

English EASY 2024

Someone may have many children and he may live for a long time. But even if he lives until he is very old, he may not enjoy a good life. After he dies, people may not bury him with honour. His life would be useless. Even a child that is dead at birth is happier than that person. That is what I think.

English ERV 2006 - Only For Website

A man might live a long time and have 100 children. But if he is not satisfied with those good things, and if no one remembers him after his death, I say that a baby who dies at birth is better off than that man.

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 satisfied with life's good things, and he also has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

English GNT (Good News Translation)

We may have a hundred children and live a long time, but no matter how long we live, if we do not get our share of happiness and do not receive a decent burial, then I say that a baby born dead is better off.

English God's Word - GW 1995

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.

English HCSB 2004 - Copyrighted Only For Website

A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives, if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

English KJV 1611

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.

English LSB

If a man becomes the father of one hundred children and lives many years, however many the days of his years may be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things, and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, “Better the miscarriage than he,

English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

If a man is a father to a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are numerous, but his life is not satisfied with the many good things, and there is not one of his children to eventually bury him, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he —

English NASB (New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995)

For the dream comes through much effort and the voice of a fool through many words.

English NASU 1989 - New American Standard Update - Only for Website

Should a man have a hundred children and live many years, no matter to what great age, still if he has not the full benefit of his goods, or if he is deprived of burial, of this man I proclaim that the child born dead is more fortunate than he.

English NET Bible - 2005 (New English Translation)

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!”

English NIRV 1996 - Copyrighted only for Website

A man might have a hundred children. He might live a long time. But suppose he can't enjoy his wealth. And suppose he isn't buried in the proper way. Then it doesn't matter how long he lives. I'm telling you that a baby that is born dead is better off than he is.

English NIV

A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.

English NKJ 1982

If a man begets a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with goodness, or indeed he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he—

English NLT

A man might have a hundred children and live to be very old. But if he finds no satisfaction in life and in the end does not even get a decent burial, I say he would have been better off born dead.

English NRSV 1989 - Only for website

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.

English RSV (Revised Standard Version)

If a man begets a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but he does not enjoy life's good things, and also has no burial, I say that an untimely birth is better off than he.

English TL (The Living Bible) (1971)

Even if a man has a hundred sons and as many daughters and lives to be very old, but leaves so little money at his death that his children can't even give him a decent burial—I say that he would be better off born dead.

English Tyndale 1537

If a man beget an hundredth children, and live many years, so that his days are many in number, and yet can not enjoy his good, neither be buried: as for him I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.

Ecclesiastes 6:3 — Compare Translations