The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 11:7 Explained

Ecclesiastes 11:7

KJV: Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

YLT: Sweet also is the light, And good for the eyes to see the sun.

Darby: Now the light is sweet, and pleasant is it to the eyes to see the sun;

ASV: Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Truly the light  [is] sweet,  and a pleasant  [thing it is] for the eyes  to behold  the sun: 

What does Ecclesiastes 11:7 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Solomon had already advocated the enjoyment of life and responsible living in several of the preceding sections ( Ecclesiastes 2:24-26; Ecclesiastes 3:12-13; Ecclesiastes 3:22; Ecclesiastes 5:18-19; Ecclesiastes 8:15; Ecclesiastes 9:7-10). Now he stressed these points.

Context Summary

Ecclesiastes 11:1-10 - Live Not For Today Alone
The casting of bread upon the waters is an allusion to the oriental custom of casting rice-grains on the fields, when they lie submerged beneath the annual inundation of such a river as the Nile. To the inexperienced eye, this would seem the prodigality of waste, but the husbandman knows full well that he will meet his seed again with abundant returns. So it is in life, whether we befriend young boys and girls, or distribute tracts, or speak kind and loving words, or invest our money in philanthropic enterprise, we are casting our bread upon the waters to find it after many days in this world or the next.
But how wise the advice not to be always considering the winds and clouds, Ecclesiastes 11:3-4. There is considerable hazard in the life of the farmer. If he waits until all the conditions are favorable, he will never begin. So with our work for God. We must risk something. Often the word spoken at an apparently untoward moment will prove to be the word in season, while that spoken under the most favorable conditions will yield no return at all. God gives it a body as, and when, and how it pleaseth Him. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 11

1  directions for charity
7  death in life and the day of judgment
9  in the days of youth

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 11:7 mean?

And is sweet the [Truly] light and [it is] pleasant for the eyes to behold - the sun
וּמָת֖וֹק הָא֑וֹר וְט֥וֹב לַֽעֵינַ֖יִם לִרְא֥וֹת אֶת־ הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ

וּמָת֖וֹק  And  is  sweet 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: מָתֹוק  
Sense: sweet.
הָא֑וֹר  the  [Truly]  light 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.
וְט֥וֹב  and  [it  is]  pleasant 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
לַֽעֵינַ֖יִם  for  the  eyes 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, cd
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
לִרְא֥וֹת  to  behold 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ  the  sun 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.