Ecclesiastes 6:9
NASB Lexicon
NASB ©HebrewStrong'sOrigin
Whatמַרְאֵ֥ה
(mar·'eh)
4758: sight, appearance, visionfrom raah
the eyesעֵינַ֖יִם
(ei·na·yim)
5869: an eyeof uncertain derivation
see 
 
4758: sight, appearance, visionfrom raah
is betterטֹ֛וב
(to·vv)
2896a: pleasant, agreeable, goodfrom tob
than 
 
4480: froma prim. preposition
what the soulנָ֑פֶשׁ
(na·fesh;)
5315: a soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion from an unused word
desires.מֵֽהֲלָךְ־
(me·ha·lach-)
1980: to go, come, walka prim. root
Thisזֶ֥ה
(zeh)
2088: this, herea prim. pronoun
tooגַּם־
(gam-)
1571: also, moreover, yeafrom an unused word
is futilityהֶ֖בֶל
(he·vel)
1892: vapor, breatha prim. root
and a strivingוּרְע֥וּת
(u·re·'ut)
7469: longing, strivingfrom the same as rea
after wind.רֽוּחַ׃
(ru·ach.)
7307: breath, wind, spiritfrom an unused word


















KJV Lexicon
Better
towb  (tobe)
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun
is the sight
mar'eh  (mar-eh')
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
of the eyes
`ayin  (ah'-yin)
an eye; by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)
than the wandering
halak  (haw-lak')
to walk (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
of the desire
nephesh  (neh'-fesh)
a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental)
this is also vanity
hebel  (heh'bel)
emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb -- altogether, vain, vanity.
and vexation
r`uwth  (reh-ooth')
a feeding upon, i.e. grasping after -- vexation.
of spirit
ruwach  (roo'-akh)
wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being
Parallel Verses
New American Standard Bible
What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires. This too is futility and a striving after wind.

King James Bible
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Better what the eyes see than wandering desire. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.

International Standard Version
It is better to focus on what you can see than to meander after your self-interest; this also is pointless and a chasing after wind.

NET Bible
It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one's heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile--like chasing the wind.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
It is better to look at what is in front of you than to go looking for what you want. Even this is pointless. [It's like] trying to catch the wind.

King James 2000 Bible
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and grasping after the wind.
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Ecclesiastes 6:9
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Ecclesiastes 6:8
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