Ecclesiastes 6:4

Ecclesiastes 6:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
• New International Version (NIV)It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded.
• English Standard Version (ESV)For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered.
• New King James Version (NKJV)for it comes in vanity and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

Context of Ecclesiastes 6:4

2one to whom God giveth riches, wealth, and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and a sore evil. 3If a man beget a hundred [sons], and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, but his soul be not filled with good, and also he have no burial, I say an untimely birth is better than he. For it cometh in vanity, and departeth in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness; 5moreover it hath not seen nor known the sun: this hath rest rather than the other. 6Yea, though he live twice a thousand years, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?

Ecclesiastes 6:4 word by word

כִּֽי־בַהֶ֥בֶל בָּ֖א וּבַחֹ֣שֶׁךְ יֵלֵ֑ךְ וּבַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ שְׁמ֥וֹ יְכֻסֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear

• vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• darknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
• nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• coveredכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 6:4

• Psalms 109:13Let his posterity be cut off; in the generation following let their name be blotted out:

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 6:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4He … his - Rather, it … its. The untimely birth is spoken of.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-6a hundred children and live for many years: The blessings of old age and children mean nothing if life is not enjoyable or does not end well with a proper burial. It is better to be stillborn than to live a life full of unhappiness.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. he--rather "it," "the untimely birth." So "its," not "his name." with vanity--to no purpose; a type of the driftless existence of him who makes riches the chief good. darkness--of the abortive; a type of the unhonored death and dark future beyond the grave of the avaricious.Read the comment

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