Ecclesiastes 6:2
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.
Ecclesiastes 6:2 in other translations
| BSB | God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires; but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a grievous affliction. |
|---|---|
| WEB | a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease. |
| ASV | a man to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacketh nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but an alien eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. |
| YLT | A man to whom God giveth wealth, and riches, and honour, and there is no lack to his soul of all that he desireth, and God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it; this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. |
| DARBY | one to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, and 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 a sore evil. |
| BBE | A man to whom God gives money, wealth, and honour so that he has all his desires but God does not give him the power to have joy of it, and a strange man takes it. This is to no purpose and an evil disease. |
| Webster | A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat of it, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease. |
What does Ecclesiastes 6:2 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 6:1-6
The vanity of riches. Also of long life and flourishing families. (Eccl. 6:1-6) The little advantage any one has in outward things. (Eccl. 6:7-12) Verses 1-6 A man often has all he needs for outward enjoyment; yet the Lord leaves him so to covetousness or evil dispositions, that he makes no good or comfortable use of what he has. By one means or other his possessions come to strangers; this is vanity, and an evil…
Ecclesiastes 6:2 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.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Ecclesiastes 6:2
- 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.
- Psalms 17:14
From men which are thy hand, O Lord, from men of the world, which have their portion in this life, and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure: they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their babes.
- Psalms 73:7
Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.
- Lamentations 5:2
Our inheritance is turned to strangers, our houses to aliens.
- 1 Kings 3:13
And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.
- Job 21:9-15
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. …
- Psalms 39:6
Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
- Luke 12:19-20
And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
- Daniel 5:18
O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
- Hosea 7:9
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
- Deuteronomy 28:43
The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.
- 1 Chronicles 29:28
And he died in a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5:19; 1Ki 3:13; 1Ch 29:25,28; 2Ch 1:11; Da 5:18
so.
2:4-10; De 8:7-10; Jud 18:10; Job 21:9-15; Ps 17:14; 73:7
Lu 12:19,20
yet.A man may possess much earthly goods, and yet have neither the heart nor power to enjoy them. Possession and fruition are not necessarily joined together; and this is also among the vanities of life, and was and still is a very "common evil among men." It belongs to God as much to give the power to enjoy, as it does to give earthly blessings.
but.
De 28:33,43; Ps 39:6; La 5:2; Ho 7:9
vanity.
4:4,8; 5:16
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Ecclesiastes 6:1
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
- Ecclesiastes 6:2
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.
- Ecclesiastes 6:3
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.
Ecclesiastes 6:2 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Hombre á quien Dios dió riquezas, y hacienda, y honra, y nada le falta de todo lo que su alma desea; mas Dios no le dió facultad de comer de ello, sino que los extraños se lo comen. Esto vanidad es, y enfermedad trabajosa. |
|---|---|
| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | il y a tel homme à qui Dieu donne de la richesse, et des biens, et de l’honneur, et il ne manque rien à son âme de tout ce qu’il désire; et Dieu ne lui a pas donné le pouvoir d’en manger, car un étranger s’en repaît. Cela est une vanité et un mal douloureux. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Einer, dem Gott Reichtum und Güter und Ehre gibt, und welcher nichts für seine Seele entbehrt von allem, was er wünschen mag; aber Gott ermächtigt ihn nicht, davon zu genießen, sondern ein Fremder genießt es. Das ist Eitelkeit und ein schlimmes Übel - |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | vir cui dedit Deus divitias, et substantiam, et honorem, et nihil deest animæ suæ ex omnibus quæ desiderat; nec tribuit ei potestatem Deus ut comedat ex eo, sed homo extraneus vorabit illud: hoc vanitas et miseria magna est. |