Ecclesiastes 6
Study sheet, King James Version, with the original-language words this chapter turns on.
The text
1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:
2A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that 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 it is an evil disease.
3If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
4For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.
6Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen 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.
8For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?
9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
10That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
11Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
12For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Words in this chapter
Definitions are Strong's own wording from his Exhaustive Concordance (1890). Counts are how often each word appears in this chapter, from the tagged text.
- לֹאlôʼH38089× in this chapter
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
- אָדָםʼâdâmH1206× in this chapter
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
- מָהmâhH41006× in this chapter
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
- הֶבֶלhebelH18925× in this chapter
emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
- טוֹבṭôwbH28965× in this chapter
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
- כִּיkîyH35885× in this chapter
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
- מִןminH44805× in this chapter
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
- אֲשֶׁרʼăsherH8345× in this chapter
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
- גַּםgamH15714× in this chapter
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
- הָיָהhâyâhH19614× in this chapter
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
- הָלַךְhâlakH19804× in this chapter
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
- זֶהzehH20884× in this chapter
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
- יָדַעyâdaʻH30454× in this chapter
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
- נֶפֶשׁnepheshH53154× in this chapter
properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
- הוּאhûwʼH19313× in this chapter
he (she or it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also (intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same; sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally (instead of copula) as or are
- חַיchayH24163× in this chapter
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
- כֹּלkôlH36053× in this chapter
properly, the whole; hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a plural sense)
- אִישׁʼîyshH3763× in this chapter
a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
- רָאָהrâʼâhH72003× in this chapter
to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
- רַבrabH72273× in this chapter
abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
- שֶׁמֶשׁshemeshH81213× in this chapter
the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (architectural) a notched battlement
- שָׁנֶהshânehH81413× in this chapter
a year (as a revolution of time)
- חָיָהchâyâhH24212× in this chapter
to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive
- חֹשֶׁךְchôshekH28222× in this chapter
the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness
- יוֹםyôwmH31172× in this chapter
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
- יוֹתֵרyôwthêrH31482× in this chapter
properly, redundant; hence, over and above, as adjective, noun, adverb or conjunction
- יֵשׁyêshH34262× in this chapter
there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection)
- אָכַלʼâkalH3982× in this chapter
to eat (literally or figuratively)
- אֱלֹהִיםʼĕlôhîymH4302× in this chapter
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
- מִיmîyH43102× in this chapter
who? (occasionally, by a peculiar idiom, of things); also (indefinitely) whoever; often used in oblique construction with prefix or suffix
- רָבָהrâbâhH72352× in this chapter
to increase (in whatever respect)
- רַעraʻH74512× in this chapter
bad or (as noun) evil (natural or moral)
- שֵׁםshêmH80342× in this chapter
an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character
- תַּחַתtachathH84782× in this chapter
the bottom (as depressed); only adverbially, below (often with prepositional prefix underneath), in lieu of, etc.
- דָּבָרdâbârH16971× in this chapter
a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
- דִּיןdîynH17771× in this chapter
a straight course, i.e. sail direct
- אָוָהʼâvâhH1831× in this chapter
to wish for
- חָכָםchâkâmH24501× in this chapter
wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful)
- חֳלִיchŏlîyH24831× in this chapter
malady, anxiety, calamity
- אֶחָדʼechâdH2591× in this chapter
properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an ordinal) first