Ecclesiastes 6:7

One Must Learn to Be Content with What One Has

7 All of a man's toil [is] for his mouth-- yet his appetite is never satisfied.

Ecclesiastes 6:7 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 6:7

All the labour of man [is] for his mouth
For the food of his mouth, as the Targum; for the sustenance of his body, for food and clothing, part being put for the whole: all that a man labours for is to get this; and if he does not enjoy it, his labour is in vain; meats are for the belly, which are taken in by the mouth, and for these a man labours; and if he does not eat them, when he has got them, he labours to no purpose; and yet the appetite is not filled;
even the bodily or sensual appetite; no, not even by those who eat the fruit of their labour; for though their hunger is allayed for the present, and the appetite is satisfied for a while, yet it returns again, and requires more food, and so continually: or, "the soul is not filled", or "satisfied" ^F3; it is the body only that is filled or satisfied with such things, at best; the mind of man grasps after greater things, and can find no contentment or satisfaction in earthly or sensual enjoyments. This seems to be a new argument, proving the vanity of riches, from the narrow use of them; which only reaches to the body, not to the soul.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (almt al vpnh) "anima non implebitur", Pagninus, Montanus; "anima non expletur", Mercerus, Gejerus; "non impletur", Cocceius, so Broughton; "non satiatur", Drusius.

Ecclesiastes 6:7 In-Context

5 He has neither seen nor known the sun, yet he has more rest than him.

6 Even if a man lives a thousand years twice, if he does not enjoy {prosperity}, {both suffer the same fate}!

7 All of a man's toil [is] for his mouth-- yet his appetite is never satisfied.

8 So do the wise [really] have an advantage over fools? {Can the poor [really] gain anything by knowing how to act in front of others}?

9 {Better to be content with what your eyes see than for your soul to constantly crave more}. This also [is] vanity and chasing wind!