Ecclesiastes 6:9

9 What the eyes 1see is better than what the soul desires. This too is 2futility and a striving after wind.

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 a man's labor is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not satisfied.
8 For what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living?
9 What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.
10 Whatever exists has already been named , and it is known what man is; for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is.
11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a man?

Cross References 2

  • 1. Ecclesiastes 11:9
  • 2. Ecclesiastes 1:14

Footnotes 1

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