Ecclesiastes 6:9

9 It's better to enjoy what's at hand than to have an insatiable appetite. This too is pointless, just wind chasing.

Ecclesiastes 6:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 6:9

Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the
desire
By "the sight of the eyes" is not meant the bare beholding outward riches, as in ( Ecclesiastes 5:11 ) ; but the enjoyment of present mercies; such things as a man is in the possession of, and with which he should be content, ( Hebrews 13:5 ) ; and by "the wandering of the desire", the craving appetite and insatiable lust of the covetous mind, which enlarges its desire as hell, after a thousand things, and everything it can think of; such a mind roves through the whole creation, and covets everything under the sun: now it is better to enjoy contentedly things in sight and in possession, than to let the mind loose in vague desires, after things that may never be come at, and, if attained to, would give no satisfaction; this [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit:
a most vain thing, to give the mind such a loose and liberty in its unbounded desires after worldly things; and a vexation of spirit it is to such a craving mind, that it cannot obtain what it is so desirous of.

Ecclesiastes 6:9 In-Context

7 All the hard work of humans is for the mouth, but the appetite is never full.

8 What advantage do the wise have over the foolish? Or what do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before the living?

9 It's better to enjoy what's at hand than to have an insatiable appetite. This too is pointless, just wind chasing.

10 Whatever happens has already been designated, and human beings are fully known. They can't contend with the one who is stronger than they are.

11 Because the more words increase, the more everything is pointless. What do people gain by it?