Ecclesiastes 6 Commentary
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Now, to show that it would have been better for such a man if he had never been born, he illustrates the matter by comparing him with one that has lived long, and had many children, and yet his soul is not filled with good, but is always uneasy and unsatisfied, and with one that dies as soon as he is born, before he has done any thing amiss, or has had any opportunity of doing good: If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and yet his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial (that is, none of the decent solemnities of a funeral, no lamenting him, but his death is as little regarded as that of a brute), I say that an untimely birth is better than he, Ecclesiastes 6:3-5. Observe here, 1. That long life is a blessing, and so is a numerous family; it was so in those days when the world was to be peopled, and the church built up out of one nation, and it is so still, all things considered; it is a great comfort to a good man to see of his children’s children, Psalms 128:6. 2. That yet a man may have these blessings, and not have his soul filled with good, that is, may not have true enjoyment of himself and his comforts. A great estate, a great family, may bring great cares along with them, so that there is nothing got by them. Nay, a long life may be a long trouble, and the days many, and evil, and full of sorrow, and then it were better to die young than to live long. 3. That a life that is long and easy, and full of plenty, is not worth having if the soul be not filled with good; for what is the good of life if we do not enjoy it, if we do not make a good use of it, if we do not answer the end of living? 4. That a child which never sees the light is as well off as such a man. (1.) He comes with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. He came into the world to no purpose, and goes out of it unnoticed. He is born to no end, and dies, and nobody knows that ever he was; his name is lost, and buried in oblivion, and all the intentions of nature concerning him are defeated. (2.) He has not seen the sun, nor known any thing; he never lived a day, never had any opportunity of doing good, and yet he has more rest than the other, who, though he has lived many years, has lived uncomfortably. The new-born infant has rest from the troubles and toils of life; it is taken away from the evil to come; but the discontented rich man has no rest, but is continually weary and heavy-laden. 5. That all the days of the longest life, with all its comforts, are but a shadow in comparison with eternity, Ecclesiastes 6:6. Do not all go to one place? rich and poor, young and old, they are all under a sentence of death, and hasten to the grave, that house appointed for all living; and what is there in all the wealth and pleasure of this world to make a man unwilling to go thither?
Verses 7-9
Here is, I. A general complaint of the insatiableness of the desires of the soul: All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled, Ecclesiastes 6:7. 1. It is the common lot of mankind that they are born to labour, are sent into the world to work, to till the ground, or to serve some useful purpose to themselves and others. Man is born to labour as the bird flies to the air, Job 5:7. It is a sentence passed upon us for sin, but it is also the constitution of our nature; it is to keep us from idleness, and to do us good. 2. It is the common principle of mankind that they labour for their mouth, that is, to get food to satisfy their hunger, to maintain themselves and their families. This is that which takes up men’s thoughts and time, and all the powers of their souls are employed about it. 3. Yet it is a thing to be complained of that even those who have food to eat are not satisfied. The appetite is never filled; there is still room for more. Nature is content with a little, but lust is not. Those that labour only for the meat that perishes will never have their desires satisfied; for, the more they have, the more they crave, and the more eager they are for it.
II. An enquiry into the advantages which wise men have above fools, grounded upon this. If the appetite is not filled, what advantage then has the wise man more than the fool? Ecclesiastes 6:8. It is certain that, in order to the happiness of the other life, the wise man has infinitely the advantage of the fool; but, in order to the happiness of this life, it is hard to say that he has any. Both the one and the other labour for their mouth, and yet the appetite of neither is filled; both feel the inconveniences of this present state, and the wise man is not exempted from them by his wisdom. Some understand it thus: “If neither wise men nor fools can get their bellyful of this world, what has the poor man that knows how to walk before the living (that is, how to carry himself so as to please those he has to do with, and to gain their favour) more than the fool that knows not how to do so?” The poor wise man, one would think, should stand fair for preferment; but, alas! there are so many that seek their own things, and few that care for the things of others, that he is overlooked, and has no more than the fool.
III. A word of advice given, which, if taken, would contribute greatly to our satisfaction and the comfort of our lives. Instead of indulging the wandering of the desire, let us compose ourselves, and be content with what we have, Ecclesiastes 6:9. Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. 1. “Be content with what is within sight, what is within reach, what is present, and in hand, and do not let your desires go out in quest of that which is foreign, future, and uncertain.” The enjoyments we have are better than those we only imagine or wish for. What we have in possession is (as they say) two birds in the hand, which are worth ten in the bush. 2. “Be content with the enjoyment of that which is pleasing to the eye, though it be not enough to fill the soul.” The eye is satisfied with seeing, but the belly is not filled with eating, Ecclesiastes 1:8. Moderate your desires, and bring your mind to your condition; be pleased with what you have, and you have enough.
Ecclesiastes 6 delves into the frustrating realities of life "under the sun," where earthly possessions and achievements often fail to bring lasting satisfaction. This chapter continues the exploration of vanity, highlighting the disparities between what we accumulate and what we truly enjoy.
The Tragedy of Untapped Riches Ecclesiastes 6:1-6
Solomon begins by observing a common tragedy: a person blessed with riches, wealth, and honor, lacking nothing their heart desires, is paradoxically unable to enjoy these blessings. God does not give him power to eat thereof (Ecclesiastes 6:2), the text says. Instead, a stranger consumes them, a "sore evil" indeed.
This speaks to the essence of contentment. It's not about how much we have, but how we experience what we have. Some accumulate "mountains of stuff" but never truly savor it. Jesus echoes this sentiment in Luke 12:19-20, warning against storing up treasures on earth while neglecting our spiritual well-being.
Even the blessings of a long life and a large family are rendered meaningless if the soul remains unfulfilled (Ecclesiastes 6:3). How tragic to live a life so devoid of satisfaction that one wishes they had never been born! The antidote, as Tony Evans suggests, is a daily attitude of gratitude towards God. Recognizing God's presence punctuating our lives transforms our perspective. We are all marching toward the grave; how will we live each day until then?
Matthew Henry underscores this point, noting that a man may have numerous children and live many years, yet his soul not be filled with good. This highlights the vanity of a life focused solely on earthly gains without inner peace or purpose.
The Insatiable Appetite and the Wandering Desire Ecclesiastes 6:7-9
The Preacher laments the insatiability of human desire. All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled (Ecclesiastes 6:7). We strive and toil, yet lasting satisfaction eludes us. Whether we yearn for wealth, wisdom, or social standing, we must not be ruled by our desires.
Children crave toys, adults crave bigger and more expensive ones, but chasing physical pleasures leaves the soul anemic. We must pursue what our soul needs to be truly satisfied. Tony Evans rightly points out that if you chase after physical pleasures, your soul will become anemic. Pursue what your soul needs to be truly satisfied.
The wise man isn't necessarily exempt from this struggle. Both the wise and the foolish labor for their mouths, and neither finds their appetite fully satisfied. Therefore, it is better what the eyes see than wandering desire (Ecclesiastes 6:9). This is a call to contentment, to find satisfaction in the present moment, in what is within our reach. As Matthew Henry beautifully puts it, "The enjoyments we have are better than those we only imagine or wish for." What we possess is worth more than what we merely desire.
Limitations and Priorities Ecclesiastes 6:10-12
The chapter concludes with a sober reminder of our limitations. A man is not able to contend with the one stronger than he (Ecclesiastes 6:10). Many words are futile (Ecclesiastes 6:11). And our few days of life are like a shadow (Ecclesiastes 6:12).
We must acknowledge our mortality and the brevity of life. God has appointed a day for each of us to die. Therefore, maximize the days you’ve been given, not contending with God, but looking to him to punctuate life with his presence.
Ecclesiastes 6 serves as a powerful reminder that true satisfaction is not found in accumulating possessions or achieving worldly success. It lies in cultivating gratitude, pursuing spiritual fulfillment, and embracing contentment in the present moment, recognizing that all earthly things are fleeting shadows compared to eternity.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Now, to show that it would have been better for such a man if he had never been born, he illustrates the matter by comparing him with one that has lived long, and had many children, and yet his soul is not filled with good, but is always uneasy and unsatisfied, and with one that dies as soon as he is born, before he has done any thing amiss, or has had any opportunity of doing good: If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and yet his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial (that is, none of the decent solemnities of a funeral, no lamenting him, but his death is as little regarded as that of a brute), I say that an untimely birth is better than he, Ecclesiastes 6:3-5. Observe here, 1. That long life is a blessing, and so is a numerous family; it was so in those days when the world was to be peopled, and the church built up out of one nation, and it is so still, all things considered; it is a great comfort to a good man to see of his children’s children, Psalms 128:6. 2. That yet a man may have these blessings, and not have his soul filled with good, that is, may not have true enjoyment of himself and his comforts. A great estate, a great family, may bring great cares along with them, so that there is nothing got by them. Nay, a long life may be a long trouble, and the days many, and evil, and full of sorrow, and then it were better to die young than to live long. 3. That a life that is long and easy, and full of plenty, is not worth having if the soul be not filled with good; for what is the good of life if we do not enjoy it, if we do not make a good use of it, if we do not answer the end of living? 4. That a child which never sees the light is as well off as such a man. (1.) He comes with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness. He came into the world to no purpose, and goes out of it unnoticed. He is born to no end, and dies, and nobody knows that ever he was; his name is lost, and buried in oblivion, and all the intentions of nature concerning him are defeated. (2.) He has not seen the sun, nor known any thing; he never lived a day, never had any opportunity of doing good, and yet he has more rest than the other, who, though he has lived many years, has lived uncomfortably. The new-born infant has rest from the troubles and toils of life; it is taken away from the evil to come; but the discontented rich man has no rest, but is continually weary and heavy-laden. 5. That all the days of the longest life, with all its comforts, are but a shadow in comparison with eternity, Ecclesiastes 6:6. Do not all go to one place? rich and poor, young and old, they are all under a sentence of death, and hasten to the grave, that house appointed for all living; and what is there in all the wealth and pleasure of this world to make a man unwilling to go thither?
Verses 7-9
Here is, I. A general complaint of the insatiableness of the desires of the soul: All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled, Ecclesiastes 6:7. 1. It is the common lot of mankind that they are born to labour, are sent into the world to work, to till the ground, or to serve some useful purpose to themselves and others. Man is born to labour as the bird flies to the air, Job 5:7. It is a sentence passed upon us for sin, but it is also the constitution of our nature; it is to keep us from idleness, and to do us good. 2. It is the common principle of mankind that they labour for their mouth, that is, to get food to satisfy their hunger, to maintain themselves and their families. This is that which takes up men’s thoughts and time, and all the powers of their souls are employed about it. 3. Yet it is a thing to be complained of that even those who have food to eat are not satisfied. The appetite is never filled; there is still room for more. Nature is content with a little, but lust is not. Those that labour only for the meat that perishes will never have their desires satisfied; for, the more they have, the more they crave, and the more eager they are for it.
II. An enquiry into the advantages which wise men have above fools, grounded upon this. If the appetite is not filled, what advantage then has the wise man more than the fool? Ecclesiastes 6:8. It is certain that, in order to the happiness of the other life, the wise man has infinitely the advantage of the fool; but, in order to the happiness of this life, it is hard to say that he has any. Both the one and the other labour for their mouth, and yet the appetite of neither is filled; both feel the inconveniences of this present state, and the wise man is not exempted from them by his wisdom. Some understand it thus: “If neither wise men nor fools can get their bellyful of this world, what has the poor man that knows how to walk before the living (that is, how to carry himself so as to please those he has to do with, and to gain their favour) more than the fool that knows not how to do so?” The poor wise man, one would think, should stand fair for preferment; but, alas! there are so many that seek their own things, and few that care for the things of others, that he is overlooked, and has no more than the fool.
III. A word of advice given, which, if taken, would contribute greatly to our satisfaction and the comfort of our lives. Instead of indulging the wandering of the desire, let us compose ourselves, and be content with what we have, Ecclesiastes 6:9. Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. 1. “Be content with what is within sight, what is within reach, what is present, and in hand, and do not let your desires go out in quest of that which is foreign, future, and uncertain.” The enjoyments we have are better than those we only imagine or wish for. What we have in possession is (as they say) two birds in the hand, which are worth ten in the bush. 2. “Be content with the enjoyment of that which is pleasing to the eye, though it be not enough to fill the soul.” The eye is satisfied with seeing, but the belly is not filled with eating, Ecclesiastes 1:8. Moderate your desires, and bring your mind to your condition; be pleased with what you have, and you have enough.
Ecclesiastes 6 delves into the frustrating realities of life "under the sun," where earthly possessions and achievements often fail to bring lasting satisfaction. This chapter continues the exploration of vanity, highlighting the disparities between what we accumulate and what we truly enjoy.
The Tragedy of Untapped Riches Ecclesiastes 6:1-6
Solomon begins by observing a common tragedy: a person blessed with riches, wealth, and honor, lacking nothing their heart desires, is paradoxically unable to enjoy these blessings. God does not give him power to eat thereof (Ecclesiastes 6:2), the text says. Instead, a stranger consumes them, a "sore evil" indeed.
This speaks to the essence of contentment. It's not about how much we have, but how we experience what we have. Some accumulate "mountains of stuff" but never truly savor it. Jesus echoes this sentiment in Luke 12:19-20, warning against storing up treasures on earth while neglecting our spiritual well-being.
Even the blessings of a long life and a large family are rendered meaningless if the soul remains unfulfilled (Ecclesiastes 6:3). How tragic to live a life so devoid of satisfaction that one wishes they had never been born! The antidote, as Tony Evans suggests, is a daily attitude of gratitude towards God. Recognizing God's presence punctuating our lives transforms our perspective. We are all marching toward the grave; how will we live each day until then?
Matthew Henry underscores this point, noting that a man may have numerous children and live many years, yet his soul not be filled with good. This highlights the vanity of a life focused solely on earthly gains without inner peace or purpose.
The Insatiable Appetite and the Wandering Desire Ecclesiastes 6:7-9
The Preacher laments the insatiability of human desire. All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled (Ecclesiastes 6:7). We strive and toil, yet lasting satisfaction eludes us. Whether we yearn for wealth, wisdom, or social standing, we must not be ruled by our desires.
Children crave toys, adults crave bigger and more expensive ones, but chasing physical pleasures leaves the soul anemic. We must pursue what our soul needs to be truly satisfied. Tony Evans rightly points out that if you chase after physical pleasures, your soul will become anemic. Pursue what your soul needs to be truly satisfied.
The wise man isn't necessarily exempt from this struggle. Both the wise and the foolish labor for their mouths, and neither finds their appetite fully satisfied. Therefore, it is better what the eyes see than wandering desire (Ecclesiastes 6:9). This is a call to contentment, to find satisfaction in the present moment, in what is within our reach. As Matthew Henry beautifully puts it, "The enjoyments we have are better than those we only imagine or wish for." What we possess is worth more than what we merely desire.
Limitations and Priorities Ecclesiastes 6:10-12
The chapter concludes with a sober reminder of our limitations. A man is not able to contend with the one stronger than he (Ecclesiastes 6:10). Many words are futile (Ecclesiastes 6:11). And our few days of life are like a shadow (Ecclesiastes 6:12).
We must acknowledge our mortality and the brevity of life. God has appointed a day for each of us to die. Therefore, maximize the days you’ve been given, not contending with God, but looking to him to punctuate life with his presence.
Ecclesiastes 6 serves as a powerful reminder that true satisfaction is not found in accumulating possessions or achieving worldly success. It lies in cultivating gratitude, pursuing spiritual fulfillment, and embracing contentment in the present moment, recognizing that all earthly things are fleeting shadows compared to eternity.