Ecclesiastes 6:8

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

What advantage has the wise person over the fool? What does the poor person gain by knowing how to conduct themselves 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

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  For what has the wise more than the fool? what does the poor have, who knows to walk before the living?

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  For what advantage hath the wise{H2450} more{H3148} than the fool?{H3684} [or] what hath the poor{H6041} man, that knoweth{H3045} how to walk{H1980} before the living?{H2416}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  For what hath the wise{H2450} more{H3148} than the fool{H3684}? what hath the poor{H6041}, that knoweth{H3045}{(H8802)} to walk{H1980}{(H8800)} before the living{H2416}?

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  For what hath the wyse more then the foole? What helpeth it the poore, that he knoweth to walke before the lyuynge?

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  For what hath the wise man more then the foole? what hath the poore that knoweth how to walke before the liuing?

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  For what hath the wise more then the foole? What helpeth it the poore that he knoweth to walke with fooles before the lyuyng?

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk before the living?

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  For what advantage `is' to the wise above the fool? What to the poor who knoweth to walk before the living?

• American Standard Version (1901)

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

• American Standard Version (1901)

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

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

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

• World English Bible (2000)

  For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? And what advantage does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive?

Referenced Verses

• Gen 17:1 : 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before Me faithfully and be blameless."
• Ps 101:2 : 2 I will act wisely and follow the way of integrity. When will you come to me? I will live with integrity in my heart within my house.
• Ps 116:9 : 9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
• Prov 19:1 : 1 Better to be poor and walk in integrity than to be a fool with twisted lips.
• Eccl 2:14-16 : 14 The wise have eyes in their heads, but the fool walks in darkness. Yet I also realized that the same fate overtakes them both. 15 Then I said in my heart, 'What happens to the fool will also happen to me. So why have I been so very wise?' And I concluded in my heart, 'This too is meaningless.' 16 For the wise, like the fool, will not be remembered forever; in the days to come, everything will be forgotten. How does the wise person die? Just like the fool!
• Eccl 5:11 : 11 The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits them no sleep.
• Luke 1:6 : 6 Both were righteous in the sight of God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
• 1 Tim 6:17 : 17 Command those who are rich in this present age not to be arrogant or to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.