Ecclesiastes 6:7-9

3. Reasons why riches cannot satisfy Ecclesiastes 6:7-9

TEXT 6:7-9

7

All a man's labor is for his mouth and yet his appetite is not satisfied.

8

For what advantage does the wise man have over the fool? What advantage does the poor man have, knowing how to walk before the living?

9

What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and striving after wind.

THOUGHT QUESTIONS 6:7-9

156.

Man labors for what primary cause?

157.

Is man's appetite for either food or pleasure ever completely satisfied?

158.

Does the wise man have an advantage over the fool in respect to being satisfied with pleasure or food?

159.

Does the poor man have an advantage over the rich man?

160.

Explain verse nine in the light of Ecclesiastes 5:18-19.

161.

What parallel is found between verses seven and nine?

162.

After reading over these verses, what does the Preacher identify as futility and striving after wind?

PARAPHRASE 6:7-9

A man labors all the days of his life for food and pleasure, and regardless of how much he gathers and collects he will never say, It is enough! If one's appetite is never satisfied, how is the wise man better off than the fool? Or, what advantage does the poor man have who at least knows enough to enable him to get along in lifeeven as he walks over against the rich and the wise? It is better that one enjoy daily what he has than fret over what he might be able to acquire. To always anticipate more possessions and additional pleasures and think for a moment that when they are realized you will be satisfied is an empty dream which never will be fulfilled.

COMMENT 6:7-9

In searching for one idea in these three verses which would give clear insight to the unlocking of the mystery of how one with such great wealth could go through life unfulfilled, one discovers the thought that the appetite is not satisfied. This explains the first seven verses in this chapter as well as giving direction to the remaining verses. The man under consideration has an insatiable appetite. He will never have enough regardless of how much he accumulates. Such a man is given over to the cares of this world and has lost control of his own spirit. In these three verses, therefore, we are discussing the same individual who has been under consideration from the beginning of this chapter. It is not to be concluded that the Preacher has one particular person in mind, but rather this evil which is common to men is simply being illustrated through a hypothetical situation. This activity is so designated as futile and striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 6:7 Some render this verse as All of man's toil is for his mouth and yet his soul is not appeased. In doing so, it is argued that mouth represents the lower areas of desire and soul represents the higher, spiritual areas. This, however, is not the intention of the verse. It is not a comparison; it is an additional argument to demonstrate that certain men labor endlessly for the products of food and pleasure, and yet their desire is never satisfied. Certainly it is the soul that desires such things and it is the soul that is in difficulty. What Solomon is saying is simply that some men are so attached to earthly things that like fire, the barren womb, and the grave itself they never cry, Enough! (Cf. Proverbs 30:15-16) Once again the lesson which teaches the power riches have over the minds of men is vividly demonstrated. Indeed the man's soul is in trouble. He has perverted his true purpose of living to God's glory and has become slave to things futile and transitory.

Ecclesiastes 6:8 One would think that the wise man would have great advantage over the fool. The wise man in this situation is the one who is skillful and has the ability to increase his possessions and receive healthy profits from his investments. In addition he has merited the esteem of his peers and managed his physical affairs in such a way that his life has been extended. He is also surrounded with his children. Yet, he does not hold an edge on the fool. The fool, of course, is the one who lacks the wisdom to make such a mark in his community as that which distinguishes the wise man. When a wise man fails to enjoy what he possesses, he is no better off than a fool. There is a sense in which he is indeed a fool (Luke 12:20).

The second part of this verse is difficult to understand. The tenor of this section would lead one to see here the simple statement that the poor man does not have an advantage over the wise man simply because, like the stillborn, all finally go to the grave and there are no distinctions there. The Paraphrase attempted to speak to this truth. However, there is much disagreement as to how the verse should actually be translated. Leupold translates it: or what advantage has the poor man that knows how to walk over against the living? He would argue that the poor Israelite, under Persian rule, is the only one who knows how to walk (because of his inheritance of Wisdom) over against the living (his oppressors). Two items militate against this translation or interpretation. One, the historical setting would necessitate a date at least 500 years later than Solomon, and secondly, such an interpretation does not speak to the line of reasoning pursued in this entire section. The Septuagint suggests that the living is to be translated life, and implies that he knows how to walk in this world to prepare for the life to come. Thus the Septuagint reads, For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? since the poor man knows how to walk before life? This idea appears to be foreign to not only the immediate context, but the thought of the entire book. The Anchor Bible eliminates the problem by actually changing the direction of thought and making the idea of knowing how to conduct himself during his life refer to the wise man and thus pointing out that this is the only advantage the wise man has over the fool. This translation seems to be more from convenience than meeting the issue. Perhaps what Solomon is saying is that the poor has his troubles, too. He never has his desires fulfilled, and thus his appetite does not receive the numerous benefits of the wise man, rich in the things of this world, but like the rich man his desires are insatiable. No man has an advantage over another if each is controlled by greed and earthly goods. If this is indeed the correct interpretation then what Solomon is saying is that such an evil is truly common to all men. Both the rich and the poor have demonstrated a failure to enjoy life, and both have the same misery as the result of a lack of fulfillment. Their inability to eat from what they possess places them on equal status in that respect at least.

Ecclesiastes 6:9 What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires, is not that which is spoken of in the same verse as futility and striving after wind. Rather, it is good advice and is in harmony once again with previous conclusions found in Ecclesiastes 2:24; Ecclesiastes 3:12-13; Ecclesiastes 3:22; Ecclesiastes 5:18 and later in Ecclesiastes 6:12. The adage, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, speaks of this truth. It is better to take what one has and enjoy it rather than entertain a craving for what is possibly in the future and uncertain. To control one's appetites and make the most of what one has is the mark of a truly wise man. God will evidently permit such a one to find joy in living and eat from what he possesses.

The contrary attitude which manifests the dissatisfaction with life regardless of what one possesses is that which Solomon speaks of as futile. The oft-occurring striving after wind marks this type of activity as totally useless.

FACT QUESTIONS 6:7-9

291.

What key statement found in these verses helps to clarify the conclusions in this entire section?

292.

What is demonstrated by the argument found in verse seven?

293.

What characterizes the wise man of verse eight?

294.

What characterizes the fool?

295.

What advantage does the wise man have over the fool? Discuss.

296.

Give two reasons why Leupold's translation of verse eight should not be considered.

297.

Explain what the Septuagint does with the term the living.

298.

What does the poor man have in common with the rich, wise man?

299.

What good advice does Solomon offer? (Cf. Ecclesiastes 6:9)

300.

How can one eat from what he possesses?

301.

What does futility refer to?