Ecclesiastes 9:6

6 Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth.

Ecclesiastes 9:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 9:6

Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now
perished
Not that the separate spirits of the dead are without their affections, or these unexercised; the spirits of just men made perfect will love God and Christ, and angels, and good men, and all that is good, more intensely; love will continue after this life, and be in its height, and therefore said to be the greatest grace, ( 1 Corinthians 13:13 ) ; they will hate sin, Satan, and all the enemies of Christ, and be filled with zeal for his glory; so the word ^F26 for envy may be rendered; see ( Revelation 6:9 Revelation 6:10 ) ; and the spirits of the wicked dead will still continue to love sin, and hate the Lord, and envy the happiness of the saints; and will rise again with the same spite and malice against them; see ( Ezekiel 32:27 ) ( Revelation 20:8 Revelation 20:9 ) ; but this respects persons and things in this world; they no more love persons and things here, nor are loved by any; death parts the best friends, and the most endearing and loving relations, and puts an end to all their mutual friendship and affection; they hate their enemies no more, nor are hated by them; they no more envy the prosperity of others, nor are envied by others; all such kind of love and hatred, enmity and envy, active or passive, cease at death; out of the world, as the Targum adds; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any [thing] that is
under the sun:
the worldly man's portion is only in this life, and when he dies, he carries nothing of it with him; whose ever his possessions will be at death, they are no more his, nor will he ever return to enjoy them any more; his houses, his lands, his estates, his gold and silver, and whatever of worth and value he had, he has no more lot and part in them: but the good man has a portion above the sun; God is his portion, heaven is his inheritance for ever and ever. The Targum understands it of the wicked;

``and they have no good part with the righteous in the world to come; and they have no profit of all that is done in this world under the sun.''

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 (Mtanq) "aemulatio ipsorum", Cocceius, Gejerus; "aelus eorum", Drusius, Amana, Rambachius.

Ecclesiastes 9:6 In-Context

4 There is hope only for the living. As they say, “It’s better to be a live dog than a dead lion!”

5 The living at least know they will die, but the dead know nothing. They have no further reward, nor are they remembered.

6 Whatever they did in their lifetime—loving, hating, envying—is all long gone. They no longer play a part in anything here on earth.

7 So go ahead. Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!

8 Wear fine clothes, with a splash of cologne!