Ecclesiastes 6 · Verse 9

Ecclesiastes 6:9

Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
Ecclesiastes 6:9, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 6:9 in other translations

BSBBetter what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
WEBBetter is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
ASVBetter is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
YLTBetter is the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
DARBYBetter is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.
BBEWhat the eyes see is better than the wandering of desire. This is to no purpose and a desire for wind.
WebsterBetter is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

What does Ecclesiastes 6:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. Answer to the question in Ec 6:8. This is the advantage: Better is the sight of the eyes--the wise man's godly enjoyment of present seen blessings than the (fool's) wandering--literally, walking (Psa 73:9), of the desire, that is, vague, insatiable desires for what he has not (Ec 6:7; He 13:5). this--restless wandering of desire, and not enjoying contentedly the present (1Ti 6:6, 8).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire - This is translated by the Vulgate, as a sort of adage: Melius est videre quod cupias, quam desiderare quod nescias, "It is better to see what one desires than to covet what one knows not." It is better to enjoy the present than to feed one's self with vain desires of the future. What we translate the wandering of desire, מהלך נפש mehaloch nephesh, is the travelling of the soul. What is this? Does it simply mean desire? Or is there any reference here to the state of separate spirits! It however shows the soul to be in a restless state, and consequently to be unhappy. If Christ dwell in the heart by faith, the soul is then at rest, and this is properly the rest of the people of God.

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 6:9 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.

ט֛וֹבTov[is] goodH2896
מַרְאֵ֥הmar.'Eh[the] sight ofH4758
עֵינַ֖יִם'ei.Na.yimeyesH5869
מֵֽהֲלָךְ\־me.ha.lokh-more than goingH1980
נָ֑פֶשׁNa.feshdesireH5315
גַּם\־gam-alsoH1571
זֶ֥הzehthisH2088
הֶ֖בֶלHe.vel[is] futilityH1892
וּרְע֥וּתu.re.'Utand striving ofH7469
רֽוּחַ\׃Ru.achwindH7307

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

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 6:9

  • Ecclesiastes 1:14

    I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Job 31:7

    If my step hath turned out of the way, and mine heart walked after mine eyes, and if any blot hath cleaved to mine hands;

  • 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 4:4

    Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

  • Ecclesiastes 2:11

    Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:2

    Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

  • 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 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 2:22-24

    For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity. 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 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.

  • Jeremiah 2:20

    For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Better.
2:24; 3:12,13; 5:18
wandering of the desire. Heb. walking of the soul.
Job 31:7; Pr 30:15,16; Jer 2:20
this.
2; 1:2,14; 2:11,22,23; 4:4

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

Context

  • 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.

  • Ecclesiastes 6:10

    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.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 6

Ecclesiastes 6:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Más vale vista de ojos que deseo que pasa. Y también esto es vanidad y aflicción de espíritu.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Mieux vaut la vue des yeux que le mouvement du désir. Cela aussi est vanité et poursuite du vent.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Besser das Anschauen der Augen als das Umherschweifen der Begierde. Auch das ist Eitelkeit und ein Haschen nach Wind.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Melius est videre quod cupias, quam desiderare quod nescias. Sed et hoc vanitas est, et præsumptio spiritus.