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

2God gives one person riches, wealth, and honor so that he doesn’t lack anything he wants. Yet, God doesn’t give him the power to enjoy any of them. Instead, a stranger enjoys them. This is pointless and is a painful tragedy. 3Suppose a rich person wasn’t satisfied with good things ⌞while he was alive⌟ and didn’t even get an honorable burial ⌞after he died⌟. Suppose he had a hundred children and lived for many years. No matter how long he would have lived, it ⌞still⌟ would have been better for him to have been born dead. A stillborn baby arrives in a pointless birth and goes out into the darkness. The darkness then hides its name. 5Though it has never seen the sun or known anything, the baby finds more rest than the rich person. 6Even if the rich person lives two thousand years without experiencing anything good—don’t we all go to the same place?

Ecclesiastes 6:4 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• For he comethבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• in with vanityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• and departethיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• in darknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
• and his nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• shall be coveredכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 6:4

• Psalms 109:13Let his descendants be cut off and their family name be wiped out by the next generation.

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