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Ecclesiastes 5:10-6:12
New American Standard Bible
Ecclesiastes 5:10-6:12
New American Standard Bible
The Foolishness of Riches
10 (A)One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance with its income. This too is futility. 11 (B)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to [a]look at them? 12 The sleep of the laborer is (C)sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the [b]full stomach of the rich person does not allow him to sleep.
13 There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: (D)wealth being [c]hoarded by its owner to his detriment. 14 When that wealth was lost through bad business and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing [d]to support him. 15 (E)As he came naked from his mother’s womb, so he will return as he came. He will (F)take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a sickening evil: exactly as a person [e]is born, so will he [f]die. (G)What then is the advantage for him who (H)labors for the wind? 17 All his life (I)he also eats in darkness with (J)great irritation, sickness, and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen to be (K)good and [g]fitting: to eat, to drink, and [h]enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few [i]years of his life which God has given him; for this is his [j](L)reward. 19 Furthermore, as for every person to whom (M)God has given riches and wealth, He has also (N)given him the opportunity to [k]enjoy them and to receive his [l]reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the (O)gift of God. 20 For he will not often call to mind the [m]years of his life, because (P)God keeps [n]him busy with the joy of his heart.
The Futility of Life
6 There is an (Q)evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is widespread [o]among mankind: 2 a person to whom God has (R)given riches, wealth, and honor, so that his soul (S)lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God has not given him the opportunity to [p]enjoy these things, but a foreigner [q]enjoys them. This is futility and a severe affliction. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, however many [r]they may be, but his soul is not satisfied with good things and he does not even have a proper (T)burial, then I say, “Better (U)the miscarriage than he, 4 for a miscarriage comes in futility and goes into darkness; and its name is covered in darkness. 5 It has not even seen the sun nor does it know it; yet [s]it is better off than that man. 6 Even if the man lives a thousand years twice, but does not see good things—(V)do not all go to one and the same place?”
7 (W)All a person’s labor is for his mouth, and yet [t]his appetite is not [u]satisfied. 8 For (X)what advantage does the wise person have over the fool? What does the poor person have, knowing how to walk before the living? 9 What the eyes (Y)see is better than what the soul [v]desires. This too is (Z)futility and striving after wind.
10 Whatever (AA)exists has already been named, and it is known what man is; for he (AB)cannot dispute with the [w]one who is mightier than he is. 11 For there are many words which increase futility. What then is the advantage to a person? 12 For who knows what is good for a person during his lifetime, during the few [x]years of his futile life? He will [y]spend them like a shadow. For who can tell a person (AC)what will happen after him under the sun?
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 5:11 Lit see with their eyes
- Ecclesiastes 5:12 Lit satiety
- Ecclesiastes 5:13 Lit guarded
- Ecclesiastes 5:14 Lit in his hand
- Ecclesiastes 5:16 Lit comes
- Ecclesiastes 5:16 Lit go
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 Lit beautiful
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 Lit see good
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or days
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or share
- Ecclesiastes 5:19 Lit eat from it
- Ecclesiastes 5:19 Or share
- Ecclesiastes 5:20 Or days
- Ecclesiastes 5:20 As in LXX
- Ecclesiastes 6:1 Lit upon
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 Lit eat from it
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 Lit eats it
- Ecclesiastes 6:3 Lit the days of his years
- Ecclesiastes 6:5 Lit more rest has this one than that
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit the soul
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 Lit filled
- Ecclesiastes 6:9 Lit goes after
- Ecclesiastes 6:10 Or Him who
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit days
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 Lit do
Ecclesiastes 5:10-6:12
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 5:10-6:12
New International Version
10 Whoever loves money never has enough;
whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.
This too is meaningless.
11 As goods increase,
so do those who consume them.
And what benefit are they to the owners
except to feast their eyes on them?
12 The sleep of a laborer is sweet,
whether they eat little or much,
but as for the rich, their abundance
permits them no sleep.(A)
13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:(B)
wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
14 or wealth lost through some misfortune,
so that when they have children
there is nothing left for them to inherit.
15 Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,
and as everyone comes, so they depart.(C)
They take nothing from their toil(D)
that they can carry in their hands.(E)
16 This too is a grievous evil:
As everyone comes, so they depart,
and what do they gain,
since they toil for the wind?(F)
17 All their days they eat in darkness,
with great frustration, affliction and anger.
18 This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink(G) and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor(H) under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. 19 Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions,(I) and the ability to enjoy them,(J) to accept their lot(K) and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.(L) 20 They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.(M)
6 I have seen another evil under the sun, and it weighs heavily on mankind: 2 God gives some people wealth, possessions and honor, so that they lack nothing their hearts desire, but God does not grant them the ability to enjoy them,(N) and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.(O)
3 A man may have a hundred children and live many years; yet no matter how long he lives, if he cannot enjoy his prosperity and does not receive proper burial, I say that a stillborn(P) child is better off than he.(Q) 4 It comes without meaning, it departs in darkness, and in darkness its name is shrouded. 5 Though it never saw the sun or knew anything, it has more rest than does that man— 6 even if he lives a thousand years twice over but fails to enjoy his prosperity. Do not all go to the same place?(R)
7 Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
yet their appetite is never satisfied.(S)
8 What advantage have the wise over fools?(T)
What do the poor gain
by knowing how to conduct themselves before others?
9 Better what the eye sees
than the roving of the appetite.
This too is meaningless,
a chasing after the wind.(U)
10 Whatever exists has already been named,(V)
and what humanity is has been known;
no one can contend
with someone who is stronger.
11 The more the words,
the less the meaning,
and how does that profit anyone?
12 For who knows what is good for a person in life, during the few and meaningless days(W) they pass through like a shadow?(X) Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?
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