Ecclesiastes 6:9
King James Version (1769)
Other translations
| Verse | KJV | BSB | ASV |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit. | Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. | Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. |
In context
Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.
Original Hebrew words
| English | Hebrew | Say it | Strong's | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [is] good | ט֛וֹב | Tov | H2896A | fineטָב (tav) good Aramaic of tov (טוֹב "pleasant" H2896A) |
| [the] sight of | מַרְאֵ֥ה | mar-'EH | H4758 | appearanceמַרְאֶה (mar.eh) 1) sight, appearance, vision 1a) sight, phenomenon, spectacle, appearance, vision 1b) what is seen 1c) a vision (supernatural) 1d) sight, vision (power of seeing) |
| eyes | עֵינַ֖יִם | 'ei-NA-yim | H5869A | eyeעַ֫יִן (a.yin) : eye 1) eye 1a) eye 1a1) of physical eye 1a2) as showing mental qualities 1a3) of mental and spiritual faculties (fig.) |
| more than going | מֵֽהֲלָךְ־ | me-ha-lokh- | H1980I | to goהוּךְ (hukh) (P'al) to go, come, walk, be brought Aramaic of ha.lakh (הָלַךְ ": walk" H1980) |
| desire | נָ֑פֶשׁ | NA-fesh | H5315L | soulנֶ֫פֶשׁ (ne.phesh) 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) uncertain 1h) activity of the will 1h1) uncertain 1i) activity of the character 1i1) uncertain |
| also | גַּם־ | gam- | H1571 | alsoגַּם (gam) 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 |
| this | זֶ֥ה | zeh | H2088 | thatדִּי (di) part of relation 1) who, which, that mark of genitive 2) that of, which belongs to, that conj 3) that, because |
| [is] futility | הֶ֖בֶל | HE-vel | H1892 | vanityהֶ֫בֶל (he.vel) 1) vapour, breath 1a) breath, vapour 1b) vanity (fig.) adv 2) vainly |
| and striving of | וּרְע֥וּת | u-re-'UT | H7469 | longingרְעוּת (re.ut) longing, striving Aramaic equivalent: re.ut (רְעוּ "pleasure" H7470) |
| wind | רֽוּחַ׃ | RU-ach | H7307H | spiritרוּחַ (ru.ach) : spirit 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) … |
Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.