Ecclesiastes 6:9

Bible in Basic English (1941)

What the eyes see is better than the wandering of desire. This is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 1:14 : 14 I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
  • Eccl 2:11 : 11 Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
  • Eccl 2:22-24 : 22 What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun? 23 All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose. 24 There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.
  • Eccl 3:12-13 : 12 I am certain that there is nothing better for a man than to be glad, and to do good while life is in him. 13 And for every man to take food and drink, and have joy in all his work, is a reward from God.
  • Eccl 4:4 : 4 And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.
  • Eccl 5:18 : 18 Every man to whom God has given money and wealth and the power to have pleasure in it and to do his part and have joy in his work: this is given by God.
  • Eccl 6:2 : 2 A man to whom God gives money, wealth, and honour so that he has all his desires but God does not give him the power to have joy of it, and a strange man takes it. This is to no purpose and an evil disease.
  • Eccl 11:9 : 9 Have joy, O young man, while you are young; and let your heart be glad in the days of your strength, and go in the ways of your heart, and in the desire of your eyes; but be certain that for all these things God will be your judge.
  • Jer 2:20 : 20 For in the past, your yoke was broken by your hands and your cords parted; and you said, I will not be your servant; for on every high hill and under every branching tree, your behaviour was like that of a loose woman
  • Job 31:7 : 7 If my steps have been turned out of the way, or if my heart went after my eyes, or if the property of another is in my hands;
  • Prov 30:15-16 : 15 The night-spirit has two daughters, Give, give. There are three things which are never full, even four which never say, Enough: 16 The underworld, and the woman without a child; the earth which never has enough water, and the fire which never says, Enough.
  • Eccl 1:2 : 2 All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 6:10-12
    3 verses
    81%

    10 That which is, has been named before, and of what man is there is knowledge. He has no power against one stronger than he.

    11 There are words without number for increasing what is to no purpose, but what is man profited by them?

    12 Who is able to say what is good for man in life all the days of his foolish life which he goes through like a shade? who will say what is to be after him under the sun?

  • Eccl 1:13-14
    2 verses
    80%

    13 And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.

    14 I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.

  • Eccl 6:7-8
    2 verses
    79%

    7 All the work of man is for his mouth, and still he has a desire for food.

    8 What have the wise more than the foolish? and what has the poor man by walking wisely before the living?

  • Eccl 2:10-15
    6 verses
    79%

    10 And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; I did not keep any joy from my heart, because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward.

    11 Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

    12 And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.

    13 Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways--as the light is better than the dark.

    14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the foolish man goes walking in the dark; but still I saw that the same event comes to them all.

    15 Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 4:3-4
    2 verses
    78%

    3 Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which is done under the sun.

    4 And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

  • Eccl 12:8
    77%

    8 All things are to no purpose, says the Preacher, all is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 4:6-8
    3 verses
    77%

    6 One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.

    7 Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.

    8 It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.

  • Eccl 2:17
    76%

    17 So I was hating life, because everything under the sun was evil to me: all is to no purpose and desire for wind.

  • Eccl 1:17
    76%

    17 And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.

  • Eccl 1:2-3
    2 verses
    76%

    2 All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.

    3 What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?

  • Eccl 4:16
    76%

    16 There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

  • Eccl 2:19-26
    8 verses
    75%

    19 And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.

    20 So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.

    21 Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.

    22 What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun?

    23 All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.

    24 There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.

    25 Who may take food or have pleasure without him?

    26 To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

  • Eccl 6:1-2
    2 verses
    75%

    1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard on men;

    2 A man to whom God gives money, wealth, and honour so that he has all his desires but God does not give him the power to have joy of it, and a strange man takes it. This is to no purpose and an evil disease.

  • Eccl 1:8
    75%

    8 All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.

  • Eccl 5:16
    75%

    16 All his days are in the dark, and he has much sorrow, pain, disease, and trouble.

  • Eccl 2:1
    74%

    1 I said in my heart, I will give you joy for a test; so take your pleasure--but it was to no purpose.

  • Eccl 5:10-11
    2 verses
    74%

    10 When goods are increased, the number of those who take of them is increased; and what profit has the owner but to see them?

    11 The sleep of a working man is sweet, if he has little food or much; but to him who is full, sleep will not come.

  • Ps 39:6
    74%

    6 Truly, every man goes on his way like an image; he is troubled for no purpose: he makes a great store of wealth, and has no knowledge of who will get it.

  • Eccl 11:7-9
    3 verses
    74%

    7 Truly the light is sweet, and it is good for the eyes to see the sun.

    8 But even if a man's life is long and he has joy in all his years, let him keep in mind the dark days, because they will be great in number. Whatever may come is to no purpose.

    9 Have joy, O young man, while you are young; and let your heart be glad in the days of your strength, and go in the ways of your heart, and in the desire of your eyes; but be certain that for all these things God will be your judge.

  • Eccl 8:16-17
    2 verses
    73%

    16 When I gave my mind to the knowledge of wisdom and to seeing the business which is done on the earth (and there are those whose eyes see not sleep by day or by night),

    17 Then I saw all the work of God, and that man may not get knowledge of the work which is done under the sun; because, if a man gives hard work to the search he will not get knowledge, and even if the wise man seems to be coming to the end of his search, still he will be without knowledge.

  • Eccl 3:22
    73%

    22 So I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to have joy in his work--because that is his reward. Who will make him see what will come after him?

  • Eccl 9:9
    73%

    9 Have joy with the woman of your love all the days of your foolish life which he gives you under the sun. Because that is your part in life and in your work which you do under the sun.

  • Eccl 7:2
    73%

    2 It is better to go to the house of weeping, than to go to the house of feasting; because that is the end of every man, and the living will take it to their hearts.

  • Eccl 8:10
    73%

    10 And then I saw evil men put to rest, taken even from the holy place; and they went about and were praised in the town because of what they had done. This again is to no purpose.

  • Eccl 8:14
    73%

    14 There is a thing which is to no purpose done on the earth: that there are good men to whom is given the same punishment as those who are evil, and there are evil men who get the reward of the good. I say that this again is to no purpose.