Ecclesiastes 6:5 Meaning and Explanation
“Moreover he hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this hath more rest than the other.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The one who never saw the light also never knew the toil of the world, and so finds a strange rest.
What Does Ecclesiastes 6:5 Mean?
Still speaking of the untimely birth, Solomon observes that it 'hath not seen the sun, nor known any thing.' It never entered the wearying round of labor and disappointment the Preacher has described. And so, paradoxically, it 'hath more rest' than the restless rich man of verse three.
The point is not that non-existence is desirable but that the burdens of life under the sun are heavy indeed, heavy enough that ceaseless striving without joy is worse than peaceful stillness. Solomon makes us feel the weight of a life lived without rest for the soul. It is exactly this rest that Christ later offers to the weary and heavy laden, a rest the world's endless toil can never give.
Ecclesiastes 6:5 in the Original Language
nachath (נַחַת), 'rest' -- quietness and ease, the settled calm that restless striving can never reach.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 6:5
What does Ecclesiastes 6:5 mean?
The one who never saw the light also never knew the toil of the world, and so finds a strange rest.