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

6yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoy no good: do not all go to one place? 7All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled. For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? or what hath the poor man, that knoweth to walk before the living? 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and a striving after wind. 10Whatsoever hath been, the name thereof was given long ago, and it is known that it is man: neither can he contend with him that is mightier 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
• wiseחָכָםchâkâm · wiseH2450
• moreמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• thanמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• foolכְּסִילkesîyl · foolH3684
• poorעָנִי‛ânîy · afflictedH6041
• walkהָלַךְhâlak · to go: walkH1980
• beforeנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• livingחַיchay · aliveH2416

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 6:8

• Ecclesiastes 2:14The wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
• Ecclesiastes 5:11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, saving the beholding of them with his eyes?
• Genesis 17:1And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
• Psalms 101:2I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way: Oh when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
• Psalms 116:9I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
• Proverbs 19:1Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity than he that perverse in his lips and is a fool.
• Luke 1:6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
• 1 Timothy 6:17Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who giveth us richly all things 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