Ecclesiastes 6:4

4 For it comes into vanity and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered;

Ecclesiastes 6:4 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 6:4

For he cometh in with vanity
The Targum adds, "into this world." Some understand this of the abortive, and render it, "though he cometh in with vanity" F24, yet is to be preferred to the covetous man: others interpret it of the covetous man himself; and scrape of both: or, however, they may be compared together in these instances; the abortive comes into the world in vain, for nothing, and answers no purpose, as can well be observed; and the same may be said of a covetous rich man; he walks in a vain show, and is altogether vanity, in his coming in, in his life, and going out; and departeth in darkness;
or, "into darkness" F25; goes out of the world without any notice taken of him; and goes down to the dark grave, where he lies in obscurity; and his name shall be covered with darkness;
the abortive has no name, and is never spoken of; and so the name and memory of such a man as is here described rot and perish: and in this respect the abortive has the preference to him; for though he is covered with darkness, yet no ill is ever spoken of him; whereas the name of the wicked covetous man is cursed.


FOOTNOTES:

F24 (ab yk) "quamvis venit", Drusius.
F25 (Kvxb) "in tenebrositatem", Montanus; "in tenebras", Tigurine version, Mercerus, so Broughton.

Ecclesiastes 6:4 In-Context

2 a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them; this is vanity; it is a sore affliction.
3 If a man begets a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but he does not enjoy life's good things, and also has no burial, I say that an untimely birth is better off than he.
4 For it comes into vanity and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered;
5 moreover it has not seen the sun or known anything; yet it finds rest rather than he.
6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice told, yet enjoy no good--do not all go to the one place?
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.