Karl,
I think that MHLK in Ecc 6:9 is quite parallel to MHLK in Nm 22:16. And concerning NP$, if it were a Niphal, we should rather think of NP$W in Nah 3:18 as something to compare with.
But in my opinion NP$ is simply, here, a noun that depends on HLK.
Now, the core of the entire question is: What does HLK-NP$ mean in Cohelet's mind?
I feel myself not enough ready and prepared to give a sure answer to this question.
And that's why we find such translations of this verse as (for instance):
KJV ------ Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire
NAS ------- What the eyes see is better than what the soul desires.
BBE ----- What the eyes see is better than the wandering of desire.
What Cohelet surely says is that MR)H (NYM is better than HLK NP$.
I'm afraid I cannot help you very much.
Friendly,
Pere Porta
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