Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
New American Standard Bible
8 If you see (A)oppression of the poor and (B)denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be (C)shocked at the [a]sight; for one [b]official watches over another [c]official, and there are higher [d]officials over them. 9 After all, a king who cultivates the field is beneficial to the land.
The Foolishness of Riches
10 (D)One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance with its income. This too is futility. 11 (E)When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to [e]look at them? 12 The sleep of the laborer is (F)sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the [f]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: (G)wealth being [g]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 [h]to support him. 15 (H)As he came naked from his mother’s womb, so he will return as he came. He will (I)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 [i]is born, so will he [j]die. (J)What then is the advantage for him who (K)labors for the wind? 17 All his life (L)he also eats in darkness with (M)great irritation, sickness, and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen to be (N)good and [k]fitting: to eat, to drink, and [l]enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few [m]years of his life which God has given him; for this is his [n](O)reward. 19 Furthermore, as for every person to whom (P)God has given riches and wealth, He has also (Q)given him the opportunity to [o]enjoy them and to receive his [p]reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the (R)gift of God. 20 For he will not often call to mind the [q]years of his life, because (S)God keeps [r]him busy with the joy of his heart.
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- Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit delight
- Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit high one
- Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit high one
- Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit ones
- 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 5:8-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and right, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them.(A) 9 But all things considered, this is an advantage for a land: a king for a plowed field.[a]
10 The lover of money will not be satisfied with money, nor the lover of wealth with gain. This also is vanity.(B)
11 When goods increase, those who eat them increase, and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes?
12 Sweet is the sleep of laborers, whether they eat little or much, but the abundance of the rich will not let them sleep.(C)
13 There is a grievous ill that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owners to their hurt,(D) 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture; though they are parents of children, they have nothing in their hands. 15 As they came from their mother’s womb, so they shall go again, naked as they came; they shall take nothing for their toil that they may carry away with their hands.(E) 16 This also is a grievous ill: just as they came, so shall they go, and what gain do they have from toiling for the wind?(F) 17 Besides, all their days they eat in darkness, in much anger and sickness and resentment.(G)
18 This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us, for this is our lot.(H) 19 Likewise, all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil—this is the gift of God.(I) 20 For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts.
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- 5.9 Meaning of Heb uncertain
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