The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 5:20 Explained

Ecclesiastes 5:20

KJV: For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

YLT: For he doth not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart.

Darby: For he will not much remember the days of his life, because God answereth him with the joy of his heart.

ASV: For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For he shall not much  remember  the days  of his life;  because God  answereth  [him] in the joy  of his heart. 

What does Ecclesiastes 5:20 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 5:20 mean?

For not unduly he will dwell on - the days of his life because God keeps [him] busy with the joy of his heart
כִּ֚י לֹ֣א הַרְבֵּ֔ה יִזְכֹּ֖ר אֶת־ יְמֵ֣י חַיָּ֑יו כִּ֧י הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים מַעֲנֶ֖ה בְּשִׂמְחַ֥ת לִבּֽוֹ

הַרְבֵּ֔ה  unduly 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
יִזְכֹּ֖ר  he  will  dwell  on 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
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.
יְמֵ֣י  the  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
חַיָּ֑יו  of  his  life 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
כִּ֧י  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מַעֲנֶ֖ה  keeps  [him]  busy 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: עָנָה 
Sense: (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with.
בְּשִׂמְחַ֥ת  with  the  joy 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.
לִבּֽוֹ  of  his  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.