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 a man riches, wealth and honor, so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to eat from it—instead a foreigner will eat it. This is fruitless—an agonizing illness. 3Even if a man should father a hundred children and live many years, however many the days of his years may be, yet his soul is never satisfied with his prosperity and he does not have a proper burial, then I say that it is better for the stillborn than him. Even though it comes in futility and departs into darkness, though its name is shrouded in darkness, 5though it has never seen or experienced the sun, it has more rest than the other. 6Even if the other man were to live a thousand years twice and never enjoy good things—do not 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 posterity be cut off, and his name be blotted out in 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