Kohelet 6:9

9 Better what the eynayim see than the roving of the nefesh; this also is hevel and chasing after ruach.

Kohelet 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.

Kohelet 6:9 In-Context

7 All the amal (labor) of haAdam is for his mouth, and yet the nefesh is not satisfied.

8 For what hath the chacham more than the kesil? What hath the poor man, who has da’as of how to conduct himself before the living?

9 Better what the eynayim see than the roving of the nefesh; this also is hevel and chasing after ruach.

10 That which is, its shem hath already been named, and it is known what adam shall be; neither may he contend with what is stronger than he.

11 Seeing there be many things that increase hevel, what profit is there for adam?