Ecclesiastes 6:7

7 Everyone’s toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied.

Ecclesiastes 6:7 in Other Translations

7 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

7 All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.

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

7 We work to feed our appetites; Meanwhile our souls go hungry.

7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

7 Everything that people work so hard for goes into their mouths, but their appetite is never satisfied.

7 All man's labor is for his stomach, yet the appetite is never satisfied.

7 Man eats up everything he works to get. But he 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 Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man—

6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?

7 Everyone’s toil is for their mouth, yet their appetite is never satisfied.

8 What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?

9 Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Cross References

• 1. S Proverbs 16:26; Proverbs 27:20