Ecclesiastes 6:8

Ecclesiastes 6:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
• New International Version (NIV)What advantage have the wise over fools? What do the poor gain by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
• English Standard Version (ESV)For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living?
• New King James Version (NKJV)For what more has the wise man than the fool? What does the poor man have, Who knows how to walk before the living?

Context of Ecclesiastes 6:8

6even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place? 7All a man’s labor is for his mouth, yet his appetite is never satisfied. 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? 9Better what the eye can see than the wandering of desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind. 10Whatever exists was named long ago, and it is known what man is; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.

Ecclesiastes 6:8 word by word

כִּ֛י מַה־יּוֹתֵ֥ר לֶחָכָ֖ם מִֽן־הַכְּסִ֑יל מַה־לֶּעָנִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ לַהֲלֹ֖ךְ נֶ֥גֶד הַחַיִּֽים׃Read the interlinear

• Whatמָהmâh mah mâ ma meh · what?H4100
• advantageיוֹתֵרyôthêr · advantageH3148
• thenכִּיkîy · forH3588
• has the wise manחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• overמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• the foolכְּסִילkesîyl · foolH3684
• to the poor manעָנִי‛ânîy · afflictedH6041
• who knowsיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
• how to conduct himselfהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• beforeנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• othersחַיchay · aliveH2416

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 6:8

• Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise man has eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also came to realize that one fate overcomes them both.
• Ecclesiastes 5:11When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes?
• Genesis 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.
• Psalms 101:2I will ponder the way that is blameless— when will You come to me? I will walk in my house with integrity of heart.
• Psalms 116:9I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
• Proverbs 19:1Better a poor man who walks with integrity than a fool whose lips are perverse.
• Luke 1:6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
• 1 Timothy 6:17Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 6:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8For what hath the wise more than the fool? - They must both labor for the same end. Both depend upon the labor of themselves or others for the necessaries of life. Both must eat and drink in order to live; and the rich man can no more eat two meals at a time, than he can comfortably wear two changes of raiment. The necessaries of life are the same to both, and their condition in life is nearly similar; liable to the same diseases, dissolution, and death.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-9Verses 7-9 Connect these verses with Ecclesiastes 6:2-3: “All labor is undertaken with a view to some profit, but as a rule the people who labor are never satisfied. What advantage then has he who labors if (being rich) he is wise, or if being poor he knows how to conduct himself properly; what advantage have such laborers above a fool? (None, so far as they are without contentment, for) a thing present before the eyes is preferable to a future which…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 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 dwells only upon present…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-9What advantage, then, has the wise man over the fool?: They have an advantage if they enjoy and are content with what the Lord has given them.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. For--"However" [Maurer]. The "for" means (in contrast to the insatiability of the miser), For what else is the advantage which the wise man hath above the fool?" What--advantage, that is, superiority, above him who knows not how to walk uprightly hath the poor who knoweth to walk before the living?--that is, to use and enjoy life aright (Ec 5:18, 19), a cheerful, thankful, godly "walk" (Psa 116:9).Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 6:8

• Contentment
• Poor

In the dictionaries

• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings