Ecclesiastes 6:6

6 He might live a thousand years twice over but still not find contentment. And since he must die like everyone else—well, what’s the use?

Ecclesiastes 6:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 6:6

Yea, though he live a thousand years twice [told]
Or two thousand years, which no man ever did, nor even one thousand years; Methuselah, the oldest man, did not live so long as that; this is than twice the age of the oldest man: there is one sort of the Ethiopians, who are said ^F1 to live almost half space of time longer than usual, called from thence Macrobii; which Pliny ^F2 makes to be one hundred and forty years, which is just double the common term of life. This here is only a supposition. Aben Ezra interprets it, "a thousand thousand", but wrongly; so the Arabic version, "though he lives many thousand years"; yet hath he seen no good,
not enjoyed the good of his labour, what he has been labouring for and was possessed of; and therefore has lived so long as he has to very little purpose, and with very little comfort or credit; and especially he has had no experience of spiritual good; do not all go to one place?
that is, the grave; they do, even all men; it is the house appointed for all living, ( Job 30:23 ) ; and hither go both the abortive, and the covetous rich man; so that he has in this no pre-eminence to it. Jarchi interprets it of hell, the one place, whither all sinners go; but the former sense is best.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Mela tie Situ Orbis, l. 3. c. 9.
F2 Nat. Hist. 1. 7. c. 2.

Ecclesiastes 6:6 In-Context

4 His birth would have been meaningless, and he would have ended in darkness. He wouldn’t even have had a name,

5 and he would never have seen the sun or known of its existence. Yet he would have had more peace than in growing up to be an unhappy man.

6 He might live a thousand years twice over but still not find contentment. And since he must die like everyone else—well, what’s the use?

7 All people spend their lives scratching for food, but they never seem to have enough.

8 So are wise people really better off than fools? Do poor people gain anything by being wise and knowing how to act in front of others?