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Source language
JPS Hebrew-English TANAKH   
טוב מראה עינים מהלך נפש גם זה הבל ורעות רוח
Hebrew - Transliteration via code library   
tvb mrAh `ynym mhlk npSH gm zh hbl vr`vt rvKH

Intermediate language
Vulgate (Latin)   
melius est videre quod cupias quam desiderare quod nescias sed et hoc vanitas est et praesumptio spiritus

King James Variants
American King James Version   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
King James 2000 (out of print)   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and grasping after the wind.
King James Bible (Cambridge, large print)   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
Authorized (King James) Version   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
New King James Version   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.
21st Century King James Version   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

Other translations
American Standard Version   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Darby Bible Translation   
Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
Holy Bible: Douay-Rheims Version (Genuine Leather Black)   
Better it is to see what thou mayst desire, than to desire that which thou canst not know. But this also is vanity, and presumption of spirit.
ERV 1885 English Revised Version with Strong's Concordance   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
English Standard Version Journaling Bible   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
God's Word   
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.
Holman Christian Standard Bible   
Better what the eyes see than wandering desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
International Standard Version   
It is better to focus on what you can see than to meander after your self-interest; this also is pointless and a chasing after wind.
NET Bible   
It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one's heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile--like chasing the wind.
New American Standard Bible   
What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.
New International Version   
Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
New Living Translation   
Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless--like chasing the wind.
Webster's Bible Translation   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
The World English Bible   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
EasyEnglish Bible   
It is good to enjoy the things that we have. That is better than to want more things all the time. If you always try to get more things, that has no purpose. It is like somebody who tries to catch the wind.
Young‘s Literal Translation   
Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.
New Life Version   
What the eyes see is better than what there is a desire for. This also is for nothing, like trying to catch the wind.
The Voice Bible   
It is better to enjoy what our eyes see than to long for what our roving appetites desire. This, too, is fleeting, like trying to embrace the wind.
Living Bible   
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush; mere dreaming of nice things is foolish; it’s chasing the wind.
New Catholic Bible   
What the eye sees is better than what desire craves. This also is vanity and a chase after the wind.
Legacy Standard Bible   
What the eyes see is better than what the soul goes after. This too is vanity and striving after wind.
Jubilee Bible 2000   
It is better to enjoy the good that is present than the wandering of desire; this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
Christian Standard Bible   
Better what the eyes see than wandering desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
Amplified Bible © 1954   
Better is the sight of the eyes [the enjoyment of what is available to one] than the cravings of wandering desire. This is also vanity (emptiness, falsity, and futility) and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it!
New Century Version   
It is better to see what you have than to want more. Wanting more is useless— like chasing the wind.
The Message   
So what advantage has a sage over a fool, or over some poor wretch who barely gets by? Just grab whatever you can while you can; don’t assume something better might turn up by and by. All it amounts to anyway is smoke. And spitting into the wind.
Evangelical Heritage Version ™   
Better to have eyes that look at what is actually there than desires that roam. This too is vapor and chasing the wind.
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Good News Translation®   
It is useless; it is like chasing the wind. It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.
Wycliffe Bible   
It is better to see that, that thou covetest, than to desire that, that thou knowest not; but also this is vanity, and presumption of spirit. (It is better to see what thou covetest, than to desire what thou knowest not; but this is also empty and futile, like chasing the wind.)
Contemporary English Version   
It's better to enjoy what we have than to always want something else, because that makes no more sense than chasing the wind.
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Common English Bible © 2011   
It’s better to enjoy what’s at hand than to have an insatiable appetite. This too is pointless, just wind chasing.
Amplified Bible © 2015   
What the eyes see [enjoying what is available] is better than [craving] what the soul desires. This too is futility and chasing after the wind.
English Standard Version Anglicised   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
New American Bible (Revised Edition)   
“What the eyes see is better than what the desires wander after.” This also is vanity and a chase after wind.
New American Standard Bible   
What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and striving after wind.
The Expanded Bible   
·It is better to see what you have than to want more [L The sight of the eyes is better than wandering desire]. ·Wanting more [L This also] is useless [1:2]— like chasing the wind.
Tree of Life Version   
Better is what the eyes see than the pursuit of the soul’s desires. This too is fleeting and striving after wind.
Revised Standard Version   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
New International Reader's Version   
Being satisfied with what you have is better than always wanting more. That doesn’t have any meaning either. It’s like chasing the wind.
BRG Bible   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
Complete Jewish Bible   
Better what the eyes can see than meandering desire. Yet this too is pointless and feeding on wind.
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised   
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
Orthodox Jewish Bible   
Better what the eynayim see than the roving of the nefesh; this also is hevel and chasing after ruach.
Names of God Bible   
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.
Modern English Version   
Better to be content with the sight of eyes than to have a wandering appetite. This is vanity and like chasing the wind.
Easy-to-Read Version   
It is better to be happy with what you have than to always want more and more. Always wanting more and more is useless. It is like trying to catch the wind.
International Children’s Bible   
So it is better to be happy with what you have than always to be wanting more. Always wanting more is useless— like chasing the wind.
Lexham English Bible   
Better to be content with what your eyes see than for your soul to constantly crave more. This also is vanity and chasing wind!
New International Version - UK   
Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.