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

2a person to whom God has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that his soul lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God has not given him the opportunity to enjoy these things, but a foreigner enjoys them. This is futility and a severe affliction. 3If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many they may be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper burial, then I say, “Better the miscarriage than he, for a miscarriage comes in futility and goes into darkness; and its name is covered in darkness. 5It has not even seen the sun nor does it know it; yet it is better off than that man. 6Even if the man lives a thousand years twice, but does not see good things--do not all go to one and the same place?”

Ecclesiastes 6:4 word by word

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

• comesבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• in futilityהֶ֫בֶלhebel hăbêl · vanityH1892
• and goesהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• into darknessחֹ֫שֶׁךְchôshek · darknessH2822
• and its nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
• is coveredכָּסָהkâsâh · to coverH3680

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 6:4

• Psalms 109:13May his descendants be eliminated; May their name be wiped out in a following 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