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Ecclesiastes 6

Eccl. 6:12 KJV (With Strong’s)

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For whoq knoweth
yada` (Hebrew #3045)
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.) (as follow)
KJV usage: acknowledge, acquaintance(-ted with), advise, answer, appoint, assuredly, be aware, (un-)awares, can(-not), certainly, comprehend, consider, X could they, cunning, declare, be diligent, (can, cause to) discern, discover, endued with, familiar friend, famous, feel, can have, be (ig-)norant, instruct, kinsfolk, kinsman, (cause to let, make) know, (come to give, have, take) knowledge, have (knowledge), (be, make, make to be, make self) known, + be learned, + lie by man, mark, perceive, privy to, X prognosticator, regard, have respect, skilful, shew, can (man of) skill, be sure, of a surety, teach, (can) tell, understand, have (understanding), X will be, wist, wit, wot.
Pronounce: yaw-dah'
Origin: a primitive root
what is good
towb (Hebrew #2896)
good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good or good thing, a good man or woman; the good, goods or good things, good men or women), also as an adverb (well)
KJV usage: beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, -liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ((-favoured)).
Pronounce: tobe
Origin: from 2895
for man
'adam (Hebrew #120)
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
KJV usage: X another, + hypocrite, + common sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.
Pronounce: aw-dawm'
Origin: from 119
in this life
chay (Hebrew #2416)
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
KJV usage: + age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
Pronounce: khah'-ee
Origin: from 2421
, ζall
micpar (Hebrew #4557)
a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerable; small, a few); also (abstractly) narration
KJV usage: + abundance, account, X all, X few, (in-)finite, (certain) number(-ed), tale, telling, + time.
Pronounce: mis-pawr'
Origin: from 5608
the days
yowm (Hebrew #3117)
a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb)
KJV usage: age, + always, + chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space, then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.
Pronounce: yome
Origin: from an unused root meaning to be hot
of his vain
hebel (Hebrew #1892)
from 1891; emptiness or vanity; figuratively, something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb
KJV usage: X altogether, vain, vanity.
Pronounce: heh'bel
Origin: or (rarely in the abs.) habel {hab-ale'}
life
chay (Hebrew #2416)
alive; hence, raw (flesh); fresh (plant, water, year), strong; also (as noun, especially in the feminine singular and masculine plural) life (or living thing), whether literally or figuratively
KJV usage: + age, alive, appetite, (wild) beast, company, congregation, life(-time), live(-ly), living (creature, thing), maintenance, + merry, multitude, + (be) old, quick, raw, running, springing, troop.
Pronounce: khah'-ee
Origin: from 2421
which he spendeth
`asah (Hebrew #6213)
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application (as follows)
KJV usage: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be (warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.
Pronounce: aw-saw'
Origin: a primitive root
as a shadow
tsel (Hebrew #6738)
shade, whether literal or figurative
KJV usage: defence, shade(-ow).
Pronounce: tsale
Origin: from 6751
r? for who can tell
nagad (Hebrew #5046)
properly, to front, i.e. stand boldly out opposite; by implication (causatively), to manifest; figuratively, to announce (always by word of mouth to one present); specifically, to expose, predict, explain, praise
KJV usage: bewray, X certainly, certify, declare(-ing), denounce, expound, X fully, messenger, plainly, profess, rehearse, report, shew (forth), speak, X surely, tell, utter.
Pronounce: naw-gad'
Origin: a primitive root
a man
'adam (Hebrew #120)
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
KJV usage: X another, + hypocrite, + common sort, X low, man (mean, of low degree), person.
Pronounce: aw-dawm'
Origin: from 119
what shall be after
'achar (Hebrew #310)
properly, the hind part; generally used as an adverb or conjunction, after (in various senses)
KJV usage: after (that, -ward), again, at, away from, back (from, -side), behind, beside, by, follow (after, -ing), forasmuch, from, hereafter, hinder end, + out (over) live, + persecute, posterity, pursuing, remnant, seeing, since, thence(-forth), when, with.
Pronounce: akh-ar'
Origin: from 309
him under the sun
shemesh (Hebrew #8121)
the sun; by implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (arch.) a notched battlement
KJV usage: + east side(-ward), sun ((rising)), + west(-ward), window. See also 1053.
Pronounce: sheh'-mesh
Origin: from an unused root meaning to be brilliant
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q
Psa. 47:4• 4He chooseth our inheritance for us,{HR}The excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah. (Psa. 47:4)
ζ
the number of the days of the life of his vanity.
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Psa. 102:11• 11My days [are] as a shadow stretched out,{HR}And for me, I am withered as grass. (Psa. 102:11)
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James 4:14• 14whereas ye know not what [will be] the morrow. Of what sort [is] your life? Why, it is a vapour that appeareth for a little and then disappeareth, (James 4:14)

More on:

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Life,
Sun

Cross References

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Ministry on This Verse

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who knoweth.
Eccl. 2:3• 3I searched in mine heart how to cheer my flesh with wine,{HR}Mine heart yet guiding me with wisdom,{HR}And how to lay hold on folly,{HR}Till I might see what [it was] good for the sons of men{HR}That they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. (Eccl. 2:3)
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Eccl. 12:13• 13[This is] the end of the matter;{HR}All hath been heard:{HR}Fear God, and keep His commandments;{HR}For this [is] the whole [duty] of man. (Eccl. 12:13)
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Psa. 4:6• 6Many are saying, "Who will show us good?"{HR}Lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, O Jehovah. (Psa. 4:6)
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Psa. 16:5• 5Jehovah [is] the portion of mine inheritance and my cup;{HR}Thou maintainest my lot. (Psa. 16:5)
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Psa. 17:15• 15As for me, in righteousness I shall behold thy face;{HR}I shall be satisfied in awaking [with] thy likeness. (Psa. 17:15)
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Psa. 47:4• 4He chooseth our inheritance for us,{HR}The excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah. (Psa. 47:4)
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Lam. 3:24‑27• 24Jehovah is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
 25Jehovah is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
 26It is good that one should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of Jehovah.
 27It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth. (Lam. 3:24‑27)
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Mic. 6:8• 8He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Mic. 6:8)
the days of his vain life.
Heb. the number of the days ofthe life of his vanity.
Eccl. 8:13• 13Because they fear before him:{HR}But it shall not be well with the wicked,{HR}Neither shall he prolong his [days],{HR}Which are as a shadow,{HR}Because he feareth not before God. (Eccl. 8:13)
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Eccl. 9:6• 6As well their love, as their hatred{HR}And their envy, is now perished;{HR}Neither have they any more a portion forever{HR}In anything that is done under the sun. (Eccl. 9:6)
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1 Chron. 29:15• 15For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. (1 Chron. 29:15)
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Job 8:9• 9(For we [are of] yesterday, and know not,{HR}For our days on earth are a shadow); (Job 8:9)
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Job 14:2• 2Cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down,{HR}And he fleeth as a shadow, and abideth not, (Job 14:2)
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Psa. 39:5‑6• 5Behold, thou hast made my days handbreadths,{HR}And my lifetime as nothing before thee:{HR}Surely all vanity [is] every man appointed. Selah.
 6Surely in an image doth man walk;{HR}Surely in vain are they disquieted:{HR}He hoardeth, and knoweth not who shall gather them. (Psa. 39:5‑6)
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Psa. 89:47• 47Remember as to me what [is] life?{HR}Whyfor hast thou created all sons of man (Adam) vanity? (Psa. 89:47)
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Psa. 90:10‑12• 10The days of our years! in them [are] seventy years,{HR}And if by strength eighty years,{HR}Even their pride [is] trouble and mischief;{HR}For it is soon gone, and we fly away.
 11Who knoweth the power of thine anger,{HR}And, as thy fear, thy wrath?
 12To number our days thus make [us] know,{HR}And we will get us a heart of wisdom. (Psa. 90:10‑12)
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Psa. 102:11• 11My days [are] as a shadow stretched out,{HR}And for me, I am withered as grass. (Psa. 102:11)
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Psa. 109:23• 23Like a shadow at its stretching out I am gone;{HR}I am tossed like the locust. (Psa. 109:23)
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Psa. 144:4• 4Man is like a breath,{HR}His days as a passing shadow. (Psa. 144:4)
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James 4:14• 14whereas ye know not what [will be] the morrow. Of what sort [is] your life? Why, it is a vapour that appeareth for a little and then disappeareth, (James 4:14)
for who can.
Eccl. 3:22• 22Wherefore I saw that there is nothing better,{HR}Than that a man should rejoice in his works;{HR}For that is his portion:{HR}For who shall bring him back to see what shall be after him? (Eccl. 3:22)
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Eccl. 8:7• 7For he knoweth not that which shall be;{HR}For who can tell him how it shall be? (Eccl. 8:7)
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Job 14:21• 21His sons come to honour, and he knoweth it not;{HR}And they are abased, and he perceiveth it not; (Job 14:21)
• Then the last sad wail of this subject: “Who knoweth what is really good―satisfying for man―during the few fleeting years of his vain life here, which he passes as a shadow; and when he is gone, who can tell him what shall be after him under the sun”? (“Ecclesiastes 6” by F.C. Jennings)
• Solomon in all his glory had no throne to be compared to hers, as she sat lowly “at His feet.” And mark carefully, for thy soul’s good, that word of tender grace that the Lord said, This is “needful.” He who had listened to the groan of man’s heart through those long four thousand years, and knew its need fully and exactly, says that this good portion must not be regarded as any high attainment for the few, but as the very breath of life―for all. (“Ecclesiastes 6” by F.C. Jennings)

J. N. Darby Translation

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For who knoweth what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who can tell man what shall be after him under the sun?

W. Kelly Translation

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For who knoweth what is good for man in life,{HR}All the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow?{HR}For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?