Ecclesiasteschapter 6

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:

2 A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

3 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.

4 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

5 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.

6 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

10 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.

11 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?

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Chapter summary

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The darkest turn of the gift: a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honor, 'yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it — this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.' Better an untimely birth than a man who begets a hundred children and lives a thousand years twice told with no burial and no good. 'All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.' Who knoweth what is good for man in his vain life, which he spendeth as a shadow?

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.

Context

Poetry · Solomon — Ecclesiastes overview

A. 1–6 Riches Given, and No Power to Eat Thereof
B. 7–12 Who Knoweth What Is Good for Man in His Vain Days?

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Ecclesiastes 54 verses
- Ecclesiastes 5:7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.
- Ecclesiastes 5:13There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
- Ecclesiastes 5:18Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
- Ecclesiastes 5:19Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
- Read Ecclesiastes 5 →
Psalms 732 verses
- Psalms 73:6Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment.
- Psalms 73:7Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
- Read Psalms 73 →
Job 32 verses
- Job 3:10Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.
- Job 3:16Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.
- Read Job 3 →
Ecclesiastes 42 verses
- Ecclesiastes 4:3Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
- Ecclesiastes 4:16There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
- Read Ecclesiastes 4 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Ecclesiastes 32 verses
- Ecclesiastes 3:20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
- Ecclesiastes 3:22Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
- Read Ecclesiastes 3 →
Psalms 171 verse
- Psalms 17:14From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
- Read Psalms 17 →
Jeremiah 221 verse
- Jeremiah 22:19He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
- Read Jeremiah 22 →
Psalms 901 verse
- Psalms 90:7For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.
- Read Psalms 90 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.