Ecclesiastes 6:9
Strong's Lexicon
Better
ט֛וֹב (ṭō·wḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 2896: adj 1) good, pleasant, agreeable 1a) pleasant, agreeable (to the senses) 1b) pleasant (to the higher nature) 1c) good, excellent (of its kind) 1d) good, rich, valuable in estimation 1e) good, appropriate, becoming 1f) better (comparative) 1g) glad, happy, prosperous (of man's sensuous nature) 1h) good understanding (of man's intellectual nature) 1i) good, kind, benign 1j) good, right (ethical) n m 2) a good thing, benefit, welfare 2a) welfare, prosperity, happiness 2b) good things (collective) 2c) good, benefit 2d) moral good n f 3) welfare, benefit, good things 3a) welfare, prosperity, happiness 3b) good things (collective) 3c) bounty

what the eye
עֵינַ֖יִם (‘ê·na·yim)
Noun - cd
Strong's Hebrew 5869: 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.) 2) spring, fountain

can see
מַרְאֵ֥ה (mar·’êh)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 4758: 1) sight, appearance, vision 1a) sight, phenomenon, spectacle, appearance, vision 1b) what is seen 1c) a vision (supernatural) 1d) sight, vision (power of seeing)

than the wandering
מֵֽהֲלָךְ־ (mê·hă·lāḵ-)
Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's Hebrew 1980: 1) to go, walk, come 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go, walk, come, depart, proceed, move, go away 1a2) to die, live, manner of life (fig.) 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to walk 1b2) to walk (fig.) 1c) (Hithpael) 1c1) to traverse 1c2) to walk about 1d) (Niphal) to lead, bring, lead away, carry, cause to walk

of desire.
נָ֑פֶשׁ (nā·p̄eš)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's Hebrew 5315: 1) soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion 1a) that which breathes, the breathing substance or being, soul, the inner being of man 1b) living being 1c) living being (with life in the blood) 1d) the man himself, self, person or individual 1e) seat of the appetites 1f) seat of emotions and passions 1g) activity of mind 1g1) dubious 1h) activity of the will 1h1) dubious 1i) activity of the character 1i1) dubious

This
זֶ֥ה (zeh)
Pronoun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 2088: 1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such 1a) (alone) 1a1) this one 1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another 1b) (appos to subst) 1b1) this 1c) (as predicate) 1c1) this, such 1d) (enclitically) 1d1) then 1d2) who, whom 1d3) how now, what now 1d4) what now 1d5) wherefore now 1d6) behold here 1d7) just now 1d8) now, now already 1e) (poetry) 1e1) wherein, which, those who 1f) (with prefixes) 1f1) in this (place) here, then 1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter 1f3) thus and thus 1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus 1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side 1f6) on this account 1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how

too
גַּם־ (gam-)
Conjunction
Strong's Hebrew 1571: 1) also, even, indeed, moreover, yea 1a) also, moreover (giving emphasis) 1b) neither, neither...nor (with negative) 1c) even (for stress) 1d) indeed, yea (introducing climax) 1e) also (of correspondence or retribution) 1f) but, yet, though (adversative) 1g) even, yea, yea though (with 'when' in hypothetical case) 2) (TWOT) again, alike

is futile
הֶ֖בֶל (he·ḇel)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew 1892: n m 1) vapour, breath 1a) breath, vapour 1b) vanity (fig.) adv 2) vainly

and a pursuit
וּרְע֥וּת (ū·rə·‘ūṯ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's Hebrew 7469: 1) longing, striving

of the wind.
רֽוּחַ׃ (rū·aḥ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's Hebrew 7307: 1) wind, breath, mind, spirit 1a) breath 1b) wind 1b1) of heaven 1b2) quarter (of wind), side 1b3) breath of air 1b4) air, gas 1b5) vain, empty thing 1c) spirit (as that which breathes quickly in animation or agitation) 1c1) spirit, animation, vivacity, vigour 1c2) courage 1c3) temper, anger 1c4) impatience, patience 1c5) spirit, disposition (as troubled, bitter, discontented) 1c6) disposition (of various kinds), unaccountable or uncontrollable impulse 1c7) prophetic spirit 1d) spirit (of the living, breathing being in man and animals) 1d1) as gift, preserved by God, God's spirit, departing at death, disembodied being 1e) spirit (as seat of emotion) 1e1) desire 1e2) sorrow, trouble 1f) spirit 1f1) as seat or organ of mental acts 1f2) rarely of the will 1f3) as seat especially of moral character 1g) Spirit of God, the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son 1g1) as inspiring ecstatic state of prophecy 1g2) as impelling prophet to utter instruction or warning 1g3) imparting warlike energy and executive and administrative power 1g4) as endowing men with various gifts 1g5) as energy of life 1g6) as manifest in the Shekinah glory 1g7) never referred to as a depersonalised force

Parallel Strong's
Berean Study Bible
Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

Young's Literal Translation
Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This also [is] vanity and vexation of spirit.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Better what the eyes see than wandering desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

New American Standard Bible
What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.

King James Bible
Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit.
Parallel Verses
New International Version
Better what the eye sees than the roving of the appetite. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

New Living Translation
Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have. Just dreaming about nice things is meaningless--like chasing the wind.

English Standard Version
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

New American Standard Bible
What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Better what the eyes see than wandering desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

International Standard Version
It is better to focus on what you can see than to meander after your self-interest; this also is pointless and a chasing after wind.

NET Bible
It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one's heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile--like chasing the wind.

American Standard Version
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

English Revised Version
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Young's Literal Translation
Better is the sight of the eyes than the going of the soul. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.
















Cross References
Ecclesiastes 1:14
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Ecclesiastes 1:17
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

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 1:1
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

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

Ecclesiastes 6:7
All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

Ecclesiastes 6:6
Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

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.

Ecclesiastes 6:11
Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?

Ecclesiastes 6:12
For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
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