The Vanity of Riches

⁸ If you see ^(A)oppression of the poor and ^(B)robbery of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be ^(C)astonished over the ^[a]matter; for a lofty one keeps watch over another lofty one, and there are loftier ones over them. ⁹ But the advantage of the land in everything is this—a king committed to a cultivated field.

^10 (D)He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its produce. This too is ^[b]vanity. ^11 (E)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the success to their masters except to look on with their eyes? ¹² The sleep of the laboring man is ^(F)sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the satisfaction of the rich man does not ^[c]allow him to sleep.

¹³ There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: ^(G)riches being ^[d]hoarded by their master to his own evil demise. ¹⁴ And those riches were lost through a bad endeavor; and he became the father of a son, but there was nothing in his hand for him. ^15 (H)As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will ^(I)carry nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can bring in his hand. ¹⁶ This also is a sickening evil—exactly as a man came, so will he go. So ^(J)what is the advantage to him who ^(K)labors for the wind? ¹⁷ Also, all his days ^(L)he eats in darkness with ^(M)much vexation, and his sickness and anger.

¹⁸ Here is what I have seen to be ^(N)good, which is ^[e]beautiful: to eat, to drink, and to see good in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few days of his life which God has given him; for this is his ^(O)portion. ¹⁹ Furthermore, as for every man to whom ^(P)God has given riches and wealth, He has also ^(Q)empowered him to eat from them and to take up his portion and be glad in his labor; this is the ^(R)gift of God. ²⁰ For he will not remember much the days of his life because ^(S)God allows ^[f]him to occupy himself with the gladness of his heart.