Ecclesiastes 5 · Verse 18

Ecclesiastes 5:18

Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
Ecclesiastes 5:18, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 5:18 in other translations

BSBHere is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot.
WEBBehold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.
ASVBehold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.
YLTLo, that which I have seen: It is good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all one's labour that he laboureth at under the sun, the number of the days of his life that God hath given to him, for it is his portion.
DARBYBehold what I have seen good and comely: it is to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour wherewith man laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for that is his portion.
BBEThis is what I have seen: it is good and fair for a man to take meat and drink and to have joy in all his work under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; that is his reward.
WebsterBehold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

What does Ecclesiastes 5:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
18. Returns to the sentiment (Ec 3:12, 13, 22); translate: "Behold the good which I have seen, and which is becoming" (in a man). which God giveth--namely, both the good of his labor and his life. his portion--legitimately. It is God's gift that makes it so when regarded as such. Such a one will use, not abuse, earthly things (1Co 7:31). Opposed to the anxious life of the covetous (Ec 5:10, 17).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 18 Behold that which I have seen - This is the result of my observations and experience. God gives every man, in the course of his providence, the necessaries of life; and it is his will that he should thankfully use them. For it is his portion - What is requisite for him in the lower world; without them his life cannot subsist, and earthly blessings are as truly the portion of his body and animal life, as the salvation of God is the portion of his soul.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 5:18-20
Life is God's gift. We must not view our calling as a drudgery, but take pleasure in the calling where God puts us. A cheerful spirit is a great blessing; it makes employments easy, and afflictions light. Having made a proper use of riches, a man will remember the days of his past life with pleasure. The manner in which Solomon refers to God as the Giver, both of life and its enjoyments, shows they ought to be received and to be used, consistently with his will, and to his glory. Let this passage recommend to all the kind words of the merciful Redeemer, "Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life." Christ is the Bread of life, the only food of the soul. All are invited to partake of this heavenly provision.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Ecclesiastes 5:18 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הִנֵּ֞הhi.Nehhere!H2009
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-[that] whichH834
רָאִ֣יתִיra.'I.tiI have seenH7200
אָ֗נִי'A.niIH589
ט֣וֹבTov[to be] goodH2896
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-[that] whichH834
יָפֶ֣הya.Peh[is] beautifulH3303
לֶֽאֶכוֹל\־le.'e.khol-[is] to eatH398
וְ֠לִשְׁתּוֹתVe.lish.totand to drinkH8354
וְלִרְא֨וֹתve.lir.'otand to seeH7200
טוֹבָ֜הto.VahgoodH2896
בְּכָל\־be.kholin allH3605
עֲמָל֣וֹ\׀a.ma.Lotoil hisH5999
שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣לshei.ya.'a.Molthat someone will toilH5998
תַּֽחַת\־ta.chat-underH8478
הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁha.She.meshthe sunH8121
מִסְפַּ֧רmis.Par[the] number ofH4557
יְמֵי\־ye.mei-[the] days ofH3117
חַיָּ֛יוchai.yavlife hisH2416
אֲשֶׁר\־'a.Sher-whichH834
נָֽתַן\־na.tan-he has givenH5414
ל֥וֹloto <the> him
הָאֱלֹהִ֖יםha.'E.lo.Him<the> GodH430
כִּי\־ki-forH3588
ה֥וּאhu'thatH1931
חֶלְקֽוֹ\׃chel.Ko[is] portion hisH2506

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 5:18

  • Ecclesiastes 2:24

    There is nothing better for a man, than that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it was from the hand of God.

  • Ecclesiastes 3:22

    Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

  • Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

    I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.

  • Ecclesiastes 9:7

    Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

  • 1 Timothy 6:17

    Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

  • Ecclesiastes 2:10

    And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.

  • Ecclesiastes 8:15

    Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

  • Ecclesiastes 11:9

    Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

  • Jeremiah 52:34

    And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
it is good and comely. Heb. there is a good which is comely,etc.
2:24; 3:12,13,22; 8:15; 9:7; 11:9; 1Ti 6:17
the days. Heb. the number of the days. it is his.
2:10; 3:22; Jer 52:34

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 5:17

    All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

  • Ecclesiastes 5:18

    Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

  • Ecclesiastes 5:19

    Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 5

Ecclesiastes 5:18 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
He aquí pues el bien que yo he visto: Que lo bueno es comer y beber, y gozar uno del bien de todo su trabajo con que se fatiga debajo del sol, todos los días de su vida que Dios le ha dado; porque esta es su parte.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et encore tout homme auquel Dieu donne de la richesse et des biens, et le pouvoir d’en manger et d’en prendre sa part, et de se réjouir en son travail,… c’est là un don de Dieu;
German
Elberfelder 1871
Siehe, was ich als gut, was ich als schön ersehen habe: daß einer esse und trinke und Gutes sehe bei all seiner Mühe, womit er sich abmüht unter der Sonne, die Zahl seiner Lebenstage, die Gott ihm gegeben hat; denn das ist sein Teil.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Et omni homini cui dedit Deus divitias atque substantiam, potestatemque ei tribuit ut comedat ex eis, et fruatur parte sua, et lætetur de labore suo: hoc est donum Dei.