9 Better H2896 is the sight H4758 of the eyes H5869 than the wandering H1980 of the desire: H5315 this is also vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307
I have seen H7200 all the works H4639 that are done H6213 under the sun; H8121 and, behold, all is vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307
If my step H838 hath turned out H5186 of the way, H1870 and mine heart H3820 walked H1980 after H310 mine eyes, H5869 and if any blot H3971 hath cleaved H1692 to mine hands; H3709
The horseleach H5936 hath two H8147 daughters, H1323 crying, Give, H3051 give. H3051 There are three H7969 things that are never satisfied, H7646 yea, four H702 things say H559 not, It is enough: H1952 The grave; H7585 and the barren H6115 womb; H7356 the earth H776 that is not filled H7646 with water; H4325 and the fire H784 that saith H559 not, It is enough. H1952
Vanity H1892 of vanities, H1892 saith H559 the Preacher, H6953 vanity H1892 of vanities; H1892 all is vanity. H1892
Then I looked H6437 on all the works H4639 that my hands H3027 had wrought, H6213 and on the labour H5999 that I had laboured H5998 to do: H6213 and, behold, all was vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit, H7307 and there was no profit H3504 under the sun. H8121
For what hath H1933 man H120 of all his labour, H5999 and of the vexation H7475 of his heart, H3820 wherein H1931 he hath laboured H6001 under the sun? H8121 For all his days H3117 are sorrows, H4341 and his travail H6045 grief; H3708 yea, his heart H3820 taketh not rest H7901 in the night. H3915 This is also vanity. H1892 There is nothing better H2896 for a man, H120 than that he should eat H398 and drink, H8354 and that he should make his soul H5315 enjoy H7200 good H2896 in his labour. H5999 This H2090 also I saw, H7200 that it was from the hand H3027 of God. H430
I know H3045 that there is no good H2896 in them, but for a man to rejoice, H8055 and to do H6213 good H2896 in his life. H2416 And also that every man H120 should eat H398 and drink, H8354 and enjoy H7200 the good H2896 of all his labour, H5999 it is the gift H4991 of God. H430
Again, I considered H7200 all travail, H5999 and every right H3788 work, H4639 that for this a man H376 is envied H7068 of his neighbour. H7453 This is also vanity H1892 and vexation H7469 of spirit. H7307
Behold that which I have seen: H7200 it is good H2896 and comely H3303 for one to eat H398 and to drink, H8354 and to enjoy H7200 the good H2896 of all his labour H5999 that he taketh H5998 under the sun H8121 all H4557 the days H3117 of his life, H2416 which God H430 giveth H5414 him: for it is his portion. H2506
A man H376 to whom God H430 hath given H5414 riches, H6239 wealth, H5233 and honour, H3519 so that he wanteth H2638 nothing for his soul H5315 of all that he desireth, H183 yet God H430 giveth him not power H7980 to eat H398 thereof, but a stranger H376 H5237 eateth H398 it: this is vanity, H1892 and it is an evil H7451 disease. H2483
Rejoice, H8055 O young man, H970 in thy youth; H3208 and let thy heart H3820 cheer H2895 thee in the days H3117 of thy youth, H979 and walk H1980 in the ways H1870 of thine heart, H3820 and in the sight H4758 of thine eyes: H5869 but know H3045 thou, that for all these things God H430 will bring H935 thee into judgment. H4941
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ecclesiastes 6
Commentary on Ecclesiastes 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
In this chapter,
Ecc 6:1-6
Solomon had shown, in the close of the foregoing chapter, how good it is to make a comfortable use of the gifts of God's providence; now here he shows the evil of the contrary, having and not using, gathering to lay up for I know not what contingent emergencies to come, not to lay out on the most urgent occasions present. This is an evil which Solomon himself saw under the sun, v. 1. A great deal of evil there is under the sun. There is a world above the sun where there is no evil, yet God causes his sun to shine upon the evil as well as upon the good, which is an aggravation of the evil. God has lighted up a candle for his servants to work by, but they bury their talent as slothful and unprofitable, and so waste the light and are unworthy of it. Solomon, as a king, inspected the manners of his subjects, and took notice of this evil as a prejudice to the public, who are damaged not only by men's prodigality on the one hand, but by their penuriousness on the other. As it is with the blood in the natural body, so it is with the wealth of the body politic, if, instead of circulating, it stagnates, it will be of ill consequence. Solomon as a preacher observed the evils that were done that he might reprove them and warn people against them. This evil was, in his days, common, and yet then there was great plenty of silver and gold, which, one would think, should have made people less fond of riches; the times also were peaceable, nor was there any prospect of trouble, which to some is a temptation to hoard. But no providence will of itself, unless the grace of God work with it, cure the corrupt affection that is in the carnal mind to the world and the things of it; nay, when riches increase we are most apt to set our hearts upon them. Now concerning this miser observe,
Ecc 6:7-10
The preacher here further shows the vanity and folly of heaping up worldly wealth and expecting happiness in it.
Ecc 6:11-12
Here,