The big picture
Ecclesiastes 6 opens in verse 1 with “There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:”, reaches its middle movement near verse 6 with “Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go…”, and closes in verse 12 with “For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which…” Repeated or prominent terms include vanity, better, good, seen, years. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Ecclesiastes · King James Version · 12Ecclesiastes 6:1-6
1–6: There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among…
Ecclesiastes 6:1–6 opens with “There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:” and reaches “Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ecclesiastes 6 develops its own movement around vanity, better, good, seen, years, with particular weight carried by seen, years, darkness.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:” The line’s distinctive content terms include common, evil, seen. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
Ecclesiastes 6:1-6
King James Version1There 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?
Ecclesiastes 6:7-12
7–12: All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not…
Ecclesiastes 6:7–12 opens with “All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.” and reaches “For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Ecclesiastes 6 develops its own movement around vanity, better, good, seen, years, with particular weight carried by better, knoweth, life.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.” Naming All keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Ecclesiastes 6:7-12
King James Version7All 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?
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Ecclesiastes 6:1 begins with “There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:”
Where the chapter turns
Ecclesiastes 6:6 forms a natural hinge: “Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he seen no good: do not all go to one place?”
The final note
Ecclesiastes 6:12 leaves the reader with “For 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…”
A word trail through the chapter
The words vanity, better, good, seen, years, darkness help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What repeated description explains the judgment?
The earth is corrupt and filled with violence, especially in verses 11-13.
What does obedience look like here?
Detailed preparation, gathering provisions and constructing what God commands.
KJV words made clear
- hath
- has
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.