Ecclesiastes 6:8

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

For what advantage hath the wise more than the fool? [or] what hath the poor man, that knoweth how to walk before the living?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּ֛י מַה־יוֹתֵ֥ר לֶחָכָ֖ם מִֽן־הַכְּסִ֑יל מַה־לֶּעָנִ֣י יוֹדֵ֔עַ לַהֲלֹ֖ךְ נֶ֥גֶד הַחַיִֽים׃

Transliteration

For what-yôṯēr to-the-ḥāḵām from-the-hakkəsîl? What-to-the-leʿānî yôḏēaʿ to-lahălōḵ neḡeḏ the-haḥayyîm?

Grammar Details

• *yôṯēr*: noun, masculine singular - advantage/profit
• *ḥāḵām*: adjective, masculine singular - wise man
• *hakkəsîl*: definite article + noun, masculine singular - the fool
• *leʿānî*: preposition + definite article + adjective, masculine singular - to the poor
• *yôḏēaʿ*: verb, Qal participle, masculine singular - knowing
• *lahălōḵ*: preposition + verb, Qal infinitive construct - to walk
• *neḡeḏ*: preposition - before/in front of
• *haḥayyîm*: definite article + noun, masculine plural - the living/life

Word Meanings

• *yôṯēr*: advantage/profit/benefit/surplus
• *ḥāḵām*: wise man/sage
• *hakkəsîl*: the fool/the stupid one
• *leʿānî*: to the poor/to the afflicted/to the humble
• *yôḏēaʿ*: knowing/understanding
• *lahălōḵ neḡeḏ haḥayyîm*: to walk before the living/to conduct oneself in life

Referenced Verses

• Gen 17:1 : 1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
• Ps 101:2 : 2 I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way: Oh when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.
• Ps 116:9 : 9 I will walk before Jehovah In the land of the living.
• Prov 19:1 : 1 Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity Than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.
• Eccl 2:14-16 : 14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all. 15 Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then said I in my heart, that this also is vanity. 16 For of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!
• Eccl 5:11 : 11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding [of them] with his eyes?
• Luke 1:6 : 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
• 1 Tim 6:17 : 17 Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on {G2198} God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;