Ecclesiastes 6:9

9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

Ecclesiastes 6:9 Meaning and Commentary

Ecclesiastes 6:9

Better [is] the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the
desire
By "the sight of the eyes" is not meant the bare beholding outward riches, as in ( Ecclesiastes 5:11 ) ; but the enjoyment of present mercies; such things as a man is in the possession of, and with which he should be content, ( Hebrews 13:5 ) ; and by "the wandering of the desire", the craving appetite and insatiable lust of the covetous mind, which enlarges its desire as hell, after a thousand things, and everything it can think of; such a mind roves through the whole creation, and covets everything under the sun: now it is better to enjoy contentedly things in sight and in possession, than to let the mind loose in vague desires, after things that may never be come at, and, if attained to, would give no satisfaction; this [is] also vanity and vexation of spirit:
a most vain thing, to give the mind such a loose and liberty in its unbounded desires after worldly things; and a vexation of spirit it is to such a craving mind, that it cannot obtain what it is so desirous of.

Ecclesiastes 6:9 In-Context

7 All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied.
8 For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living?
9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.
10 Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what human beings are, and that they are not able to dispute with those who are stronger.
11 The more words, the more vanity, so how is one the better?

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or [a feeding on wind.] See Hos 12.1
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.