Ecclesiastes 6:2

An ish to whom HaElohim hath given osher (riches), nekhasim (possessions), and kavod (honor), so that he wanteth nothing for his nefesh of all that he desireth, yet HaElohim giveth him not shlitah (empowerment) to have enjoyment thereof, but an ish nochri (stranger) hath the enjoyment thereof; this is hevel, and it is a grievous ill.

Orthodox Jewish Bible

In The King James Version

A 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.

In Context

1There is a ra'ah which I have seen under the shemesh, and it is a great weight upon the adam;

3If an ish beget a hundredfold, and live shanim rabbot, so that rav be the yamim of his shanim, and his nefesh be not filled with hatovah, and also that he have no kevurah (grave); I say, that a nefel (stillborn) is better than he.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 6

Cross References

Deuteronomy 28:33The pri of thy adamah, and all thy labors, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed kol hayamim;

Judges 18:10When ye go, ye shall come unto an Am bote'ach (unsuspecting people), and to ha'aretz rachavat; for Elohim hath given it into your hands; a place where there is no lack of any thing that is in ha'aretz.

1 Chronicles 29:25And Hashem magnified Sh'lomo exceedingly in the eyes of all Yisroel, and bestowed upon him such hod malchut (royal majesty) as had not been on any melech before him in Yisroel.

2 Chronicles 1:11And Elohim said to Sh'lomo, Because this was in thine levav, and thou hast not asked osher, riches, or kavod, nor the nefesh of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked yamim rabbim (many days, long life), but hast asked chochmah and intelligence for thyself, that thou mayest judge My people, over whom I have made thee melech,

Psalms 17:14From men with Thy yad, Hashem, 1 from men of the world, whose portion is in this life, 1 and with Thy treasures Thou fillest their belly; 1 they are satisfied with children, 1 and leave their abundance to their babes. 1

Psalms 73:7Their eyes bulge with chelev; 1 they have more than levav could imagine. 1

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 6:2-7

The Miseries of Covetousness. 1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men: 2 A 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. 3 If a man beget a 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… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ecclesiastes 6:2