Ecclesiastes 6 · Verse 8

Ecclesiastes 6:8

For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
Ecclesiastes 6:8, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 6:8 in other translations

BSBWhat advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?
WEBFor what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?
ASVFor what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?
YLTFor what advantage is to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knoweth to walk before the living?
DARBYFor what advantage hath the wise above the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
BBEWhat have the wise more than the foolish? and what has the poor man by walking wisely before the living?
WebsterFor what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

What does Ecclesiastes 6:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
8. For--"However" [Maurer]. The "for" means (in contrast to the insatiability of the miser), For what else is the advantage which the wise man hath above the fool?" What--advantage, that is, superiority, above him who knows not how to walk uprightly hath the poor who knoweth to walk before the living?--that is, to use and enjoy life aright (Ec 5:18, 19), a cheerful, thankful, godly "walk" (Psa 116:9).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? - They must both labor for the same end. Both depend upon the labor of themselves or others for the necessaries of life. Both must eat and drink in order to live; and the rich man can no more eat two meals at a time, than he can comfortably wear two changes of raiment. The necessaries of life are the same to both, and their condition in life is nearly similar; liable to the same diseases, dissolution, and death.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 6:7-12

A little will serve to sustain us comfortably, and a great deal can do no more. The desires of the soul find nothing in the wealth of the world to give satisfaction. The poor man has comfort as well as the richest, and is under no real disadvantage. We cannot say, Better is the sight of the eyes than the resting of the soul in God; for it is better to live by faith in things to come, than to live by sense, which…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 6:7-12 →

Ecclesiastes 6:8 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.

כִּ֛יkiforH3588
מַה\־mah-what?H4100
יּוֹתֵ֥רyo.TeradvantageH3148
לֶחָכָ֖םle.cha.Kham[belongs] to the wise personH2450
מִֽן\־min-more thanH4480
הַכְּסִ֑ילha.ke.Silthe foolH3684
מַה\־mah-what?H4100
לֶּעָנִ֣יle.'a.Ni[belongs] to the poor [person]H6041
יוֹדֵ֔עַyo.De.a'[who] knowsH3045
לַהֲלֹ֖ךְla.ha.Lokhto walkH1980
נֶ֥גֶדNe.gedbeforeH5048
הַחַיִּֽים\׃ha.chai.Yimthe livingH2416

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

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 6:8

  • Proverbs 19:1

    Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:14-16

    The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also is vanity. For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.

  • Psalms 116:9

    I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

  • Psalms 101:2

    I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

  • Ecclesiastes 5:11

    When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

  • 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;

  • Luke 1:6

    And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

  • Genesis 17:1

    And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
what hath the wise.
2:14-16; 5:11
the poor.
Ge 17:1; Ps 101:2; 116:9; Pr 19:1; Lu 1:6; 1Ti 6:17

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

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 6:7

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

  • Ecclesiastes 6:8

    For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

  • Ecclesiastes 6:9

    Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 6

Ecclesiastes 6:8 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque ¿qué más tiene el sabio que el necio? ¿qué más tiene el pobre que supo caminar entre los vivos?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car quel avantage le sage a-t-il sur le sot? Quel avantage a l’affligé qui sait marcher devant les vivants?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn was hat der Weise vor dem Toren voraus, was der Arme, der vor den Lebenden zu wandeln versteht?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Quid habet amplius sapiens a stulto? et quid pauper, nisi ut pergat illuc ubi est vita?