Ecclesiastes 6:9

9 Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the 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, yet his appetite is never satisfied.

8 What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?

9 Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

10 Whatever exists was named long ago, and it is known what man is; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.

11 For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?