An excerpt from the original text.(complete · 313 words)
21:006:001 here is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is
common among men:
21:006:002 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.
21:006:003 If a man beget an 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 say, that an
untimely birth is better than he.
21:006:004 For he cometh in with vanity, and departeth in darkness, and
his name shall be covered with darkness.
21:006:005 Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this
hath more rest than the other.
21:006:006 Yea, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet hath he
seen no good: do not all go to one place?
21:006:007 All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite
is not filled.
21:006:008 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor,
that knoweth to walk before the living?
21:006:009 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the
desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.
21:006:010 That which hath been is named already, and it is known that it
is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than
he.
21:006:011 Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man
the better?
21:006:012 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, all the
days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow? for who
can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
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Let's Analyse the Pattern
The devastating disconnect between achieving external markers of success and experiencing genuine fulfillment from them.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to identify when achievements that look good on paper leave you feeling hollow inside.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when you feel empty after getting something you wanted—that's the satisfaction gap revealing itself in real time.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"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"
Context: Describing the cruel irony of having everything but enjoying nothing
This captures one of life's most bitter experiences - achieving your goals but finding them hollow. The 'power to eat thereof' means the ability to actually enjoy and benefit from your success.
In Today's Words:
Some people get everything they thought they wanted but can't enjoy any of it, while others benefit from their hard work.
"Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire"
Context: Comparing contentment with what you have versus constantly wanting more
This is a profound statement about contentment. Appreciating what's actually in front of you brings more satisfaction than endlessly chasing what you don't have.
In Today's Words:
It's better to appreciate what you can see right now than to always be wanting something else.
"All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled"
Context: Observing that human work aims to satisfy desires that can never be permanently satisfied
This reveals the futility of thinking that more stuff or achievements will finally make us happy. The appetite - for food, status, love, meaning - always returns.
In Today's Words:
Everything we work for is supposed to satisfy us, but we're never really satisfied.
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
The Teacher shows how wealth and status can become prisons when they don't align with genuine satisfaction
Development
Building on earlier themes about work's limitations, now exploring how even successful accumulation fails
In Your Life:
You might chase job titles or possessions that look impressive but leave you feeling empty inside
Identity
In This Chapter
The gap between who you appear to be (successful) and who you actually feel like (unsatisfied)
Development
Deepening the exploration of authentic self versus social performance
In Your Life:
You might find yourself living someone else's definition of a good life rather than your own
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
The pressure to accumulate wealth, honor, and possessions as proof of a life well-lived
Development
Continuing the critique of societal definitions of success and meaning
In Your Life:
You might feel compelled to achieve certain milestones because that's what people expect, not what you want
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
Learning to distinguish between what you think you want and what actually brings satisfaction
Development
Introduced here as a new dimension of wisdom
In Your Life:
You might need to regularly check whether your goals are truly yours or borrowed from others
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
The Teacher describes someone who has wealth, possessions, and honor but can't enjoy any of it. What's the difference between having something and being able to enjoy it?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does the Teacher say it's better to want what you can see than to chase after what you don't have? What's the psychological trap he's identifying?
analysis • medium - 3
Where do you see this 'satisfaction gap' in modern life - people getting what they thought they wanted but feeling empty? Think about social media, career success, or consumer culture.
application • medium - 4
The chapter suggests that constantly chasing the next thing prevents us from enjoying what we have. How would you break this cycle in your own life?
application • deep - 5
The Teacher argues that all human effort seems aimed at satisfying an appetite that can never be filled. What does this reveal about how we should approach goals and ambitions?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Audit Your Want List
Make two columns on paper. In the left column, list 5-7 things you currently want or are working toward. In the right column, honestly write whether each want comes from your genuine desires or from what others expect you to want. Then circle the items that are truly yours.
Consider:
- •Notice how many of your wants might actually belong to other people's expectations
- •Pay attention to which desires feel energizing versus draining when you think about them
- •Consider whether you're chasing the thing itself or the feeling you think it will give you
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you got something you thought you wanted but it didn't satisfy you the way you expected. What was the gap between expectation and reality? What would you do differently now?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 7: The Wisdom of Difficult Truths
After exploring the emptiness of endless striving, the Teacher shifts to practical wisdom about reputation, timing, and how to navigate life's inevitable sorrows. He's about to offer some of his most memorable insights about what actually matters when everything else falls away.
