Ecclesiastes 6:7All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~950 BC. King Solomon reflects on human nature after observing workers in his massive building projects. Modern-day Israel.
The emotion here: exhausted from observing endless human striving
The original word
nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ) — the deep inner appetite that goes beyond physical hunger
Why it matters
Solomon employed 80,000 stonecutters and 70,000 laborers for the temple alone
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ecclesiastes 6:7
This isn't about laziness — it's about the futility of working harder to satisfy desires that can't be filled
Common misconceptionPeople think this condemns hard work, but Solomon isn't against labor — he's exposing the lie that working harder will finally satisfy our deepest longings.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ecclesiastes 6:7
Bible Genome reading
Ecclesiastes 6:7 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ecclesiastes 6:7 comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is anxious, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include futility, human nature. Notable phrases: labor of man; appetite is not filled.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same anxious
“And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:14
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
— 2 Timothy 3:12
“The evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"”
— Acts 19:15
“I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'”
— Acts 22:7
“When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is har…”
— Acts 26:14
Your reflection
What does Ecclesiastes 6:7 mean to you, today?
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