Ecclesiastes 6:9

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Ecclesiastes 6:7–11 · Berean Standard Bible

7 All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied.

8 What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool? What gain comes to the poor man who knows how to conduct himself before others?

9 Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

10 Whatever exists was named long ago, and what happens to a man is foreknown; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.

11 For the more words, the more futility—and how does that profit anyone?

Hebrew words

Data created by STEPBible.org based on work at Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

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Cross-references

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.

Ecclesiastes 2:24

Nothing is better for a man than to eat and drink and enjoy his work. I have also seen that this is from the hand of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:12

I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live,

Ecclesiastes 3:13

and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor—this is the gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 5:18

Here 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.

Job 31:7

If my steps have turned from the path, if my heart has followed my eyes, or if impurity has stuck to my hands,

Proverbs 30:15

The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!’:

Proverbs 30:16

Sheol, the barren womb, land never satisfied with water, and fire that never says, ‘Enough!’

Jeremiah 2:20

“For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.

Ecclesiastes 6:2

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.

Ecclesiastes 1:2

“Futility of futilities,” says the Teacher, “futility of futilities! Everything is futile!”

Ecclesiastes 1:14

I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and have found them all to be futile, a pursuit of the wind.

Ecclesiastes 2:11

Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 2:22

For what does a man get for all the toil and striving with which he labors under the sun?

Ecclesiastes 2:23

Indeed, all his days are filled with grief, and his task is sorrowful; even at night, his mind does not rest. This too is futile.

Ecclesiastes 4:4

I saw that all labor and success spring from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.