WHO KNOWS WHAT IS GOOD FOR A PERSON?
Key verse: 12a
NIV
6 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them,(A) and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.(B)
3 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(C) child is better off than he.(D) 4 It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. 5 Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?(E)
7 Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
yet their appetite is never satisfied.(F)
8 What advantage have the wise over fools?(G)
What do the poor gain
by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
9 Better what the eye sees
than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
a chasing after the wind.(H)
10 Whatever exists has already been named,(I)
and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
with someone who is stronger.
11 The more the words,
the less the meaning,
and how does that profit anyone?
12 For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days(J) they pass through like a shadow?(K) Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?
Cross references
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 : Ecc 5:19
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 : Ecc 5:13
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 : S Job 3:16
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 : S Job 3:3
- Ecclesiastes 6:6 : Ecc 2:14
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 : S Pr 27:20
- Ecclesiastes 6:8 : S Ecc 2:15
- Ecclesiastes 6:9 : S Ecc 1:14
- Ecclesiastes 6:10 : Ecc 3:15
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 : S Job 10:20; S 20:8
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 : S 1Ch 29:15; S Job 14:2; S Ps 39:6
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
6 (A)There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man (B)to whom (C)God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he (D)lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God (E)does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity;[a] it is a grievous evil. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that (F)the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's (G)good things, and he also has no (H)burial, I say that (I)a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. 5 Moreover, it has not (J)seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds (K)rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy[b] no good—do not all go to the one place?
7 (L)All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.[c] 8 For what advantage has the wise man (M)over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better (N)is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is (O)vanity and a striving after wind.
10 Whatever has come to be has (P)already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to (Q)dispute with one stronger than he. 11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? 12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his (R)vain[d] life, which he passes like (S)a shadow? For who can tell man what will be (T)after him under the sun?
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verses 4, 9, 11 (see note on 1:2)
- Ecclesiastes 6:6 Or see
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 Hebrew filled
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
Cross references
- Ecclesiastes 6:1 : ch. 5:13
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 : ch. 5:19
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 : [1 Kgs. 3:13]
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 : Ps. 17:14; 73:7; See Job 21:7-13
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 : [ch. 5:19; Luke 12:20]
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 : Gen. 47:8, 9
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 : [ver. 6]
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 : Isa. 14:20; Jer. 8:2; 22:19; [2 Kgs. 9:35]
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 : ch. 4:3; Job 3:16
- Ecclesiastes 6:5 : ch. 7:11; 11:7
- Ecclesiastes 6:5 : ch. 4:6
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 : [Prov. 16:26]
- Ecclesiastes 6:8 : [ch. 2:15]
- Ecclesiastes 6:9 : ch. 11:9
- Ecclesiastes 6:9 : See ch. 1:14
- Ecclesiastes 6:10 : ch. 1:10; 3:15
- Ecclesiastes 6:10 : Job 9:32; Isa. 45:9; [1 Cor. 10:22]
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 : [ch. 7:15; 9:9]
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 : ch. 8:13; See Job 14:2
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 : [ch. 2:18; 3:22]
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Prayer: Lord, help me repent of my search for wealth, possessions and honor. Help me instead to seek you in my heart all my life.
One Word: Only God knows what is good for me