The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 5:18 Explained

Ecclesiastes 5:18

KJV: Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

YLT: Lo, that which I have seen: It is good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all one's labour that he laboureth at under the sun, the number of the days of his life that God hath given to him, for it is his portion.

Darby: Behold what I have seen good and comely: it is to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labour wherewith man laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for that is his portion.

ASV: Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Behold [that] which I have seen:  [it is] good  and comely  [for one] to eat  and to drink,  and to enjoy  the good  of all his labour  that he taketh  under the sun  all  the days  of his life,  which God  giveth  him: for it [is] his portion. 

What does Ecclesiastes 5:18 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 5

1  vanities in divine service
8  in murmuring against oppression
9  and in riches
18  Joy in riches is the gift of God

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 5:18 mean?

Here is what have seen I [it is] good that and fitting [for one] to eat and drink and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which gives him God for it [is] his heritage
הִנֵּ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־ רָאִ֣יתִי אָ֗נִי ט֣וֹב אֲשֶׁר־ יָפֶ֣ה לֶֽאֶכוֹל־ וְ֠לִשְׁתּוֹת וְלִרְא֨וֹת טוֹבָ֜ה בְּכָל־ עֲמָל֣וֹ ׀ שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣ל תַּֽחַת־ הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ מִסְפַּ֧ר יְמֵי־ [חיו] (חַיָּ֛יו‪‬‪‬) אֲשֶׁר־ נָֽתַן־ ל֥וֹ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים כִּי־ ה֥וּא חֶלְקֽוֹ

הִנֵּ֞ה  Here  is 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
רָאִ֣יתִי  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
ט֣וֹב  [it  is]  good 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יָפֶ֣ה  and  fitting 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: יָפֶה  
Sense: fair, beautiful, handsome.
לֶֽאֶכוֹל־  [for  one]  to  eat 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
וְ֠לִשְׁתּוֹת  and  drink 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
וְלִרְא֨וֹת  and  to  enjoy 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
טוֹבָ֜ה  the  good 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
בְּכָל־  of  all 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
עֲמָל֣וֹ ׀  his  labor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמָל  
Sense: .
שֶׁיַּעֲמֹ֣ל  in  which  he  toils 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַל  
Sense: to labour, toil.
תַּֽחַת־  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
הַשֶּׁ֗מֶשׁ  the  sun 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.
יְמֵי־  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
(חַיָּ֛יו‪‬‪‬)  his  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
נָֽתַן־  gives 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
ה֥וּא  it  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
חֶלְקֽוֹ  his  heritage 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.