Ecclesiastes 6:9
King James Version
9 Jun 2026
“Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.”
נֶפֶשׁ
Life, soul, living being. Nephesh. The animating breath God places in every living creature. In animals it is the life force. In humanity it is the seat of emotion, will and identity. Every nephesh belongs to God — from the creatures in the sea to the deepest cry of the human heart.
טוֹב
is good
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טוֹב
Taste and see. David does not say understand or agree — he says taste. Towb is goodness you experience, not just believe in. God's goodness is not a theological position. It is something you encounter when you draw near to Him.
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הֶבֶל
is futility
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הֶבֶל
Vanity, breath, emptiness. Hebel. A breath that vanishes, emptiness. Ecclesiastes says everything apart from God is hebel. It looks solid but it is vapor. Only God endures.
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מַרְאֶה
the sight of
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מַרְאֶה
a view (the act of seeing); also an appearance (the thing seen), whether (real) a shape (especially if handsome, comeliness; often plural the looks), or (mental) a vision
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רוּחַ
wind
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רוּחַ
Spirit, wind, breath. Ruach. The breath of God that gives life. The Holy Spirit. The same word used when the Spirit hovered over the waters of creation.
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עַיִן
eyes
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עַיִן
Eye, spring of water. Ayin. Open the eyes of my heart LORD. I lift my eyes to You who are enthroned in heaven.
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גַּם
also
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גַּם
properly, assemblage; used only adverbially also, even, yea, though; often repeated as correl. both...and
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