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Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12
English Standard Version
Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12
English Standard Version
The Vanity of Wealth and Honor
8 (A)If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, (B)do not be amazed at the matter, (C)for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.[a]
10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. 11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
13 (D)There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 15 (E)As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what (F)gain is there to him who (G)toils for the wind? 17 Moreover, all his days he (H)eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.
18 Behold, what I have seen to be (I)good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment[b] in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his (J)lot. 19 Everyone also to whom (K)God has given (L)wealth and possessions (M)and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is (N)the gift of God. 20 For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.
6 (O)There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: 2 a man (P)to whom (Q)God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he (R)lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God (S)does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity;[c] it is a grievous evil. 3 If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that (T)the days of his years are many, but his soul is not satisfied with life's (U)good things, and he also has no (V)burial, I say that (W)a stillborn child is better off than he. 4 For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness, and in darkness its name is covered. 5 Moreover, it has not (X)seen the sun or known anything, yet it finds (Y)rest rather than he. 6 Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy[d] no good—do not all go to the one place?
7 (Z)All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.[e] 8 For what advantage has the wise man (AA)over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? 9 Better (AB)is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is (AC)vanity and a striving after wind.
10 Whatever has come to be has (AD)already been named, and it is known what man is, and that he is not able to (AE)dispute with one stronger than he. 11 The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man? 12 For who knows what is good for man while he lives the few days of his (AF)vain[f] life, which he passes like (AG)a shadow? For who can tell man what will be (AH)after him under the sun?
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 5:9 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or and see good
- Ecclesiastes 6:2 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath”; also verses 4, 9, 11 (see note on 1:2)
- Ecclesiastes 6:6 Or see
- Ecclesiastes 6:7 Hebrew filled
- Ecclesiastes 6:12 The Hebrew term hebel can refer to a “vapor” or “mere breath” (see note on 1:2)
Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12
New International Version
Riches Are Meaningless
8 If you see the poor oppressed(A) in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. 9 The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
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.(B)
13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:(C)
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.(D)
They take nothing from their toil(E)
that they can carry in their hands.(F)
16 This too is a grievous evil:
As everyone comes, so they depart,
and what do they gain,
since they toil for the wind?(G)
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(H) and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor(I) 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,(J) and the ability to enjoy them,(K) to accept their lot(L) and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.(M) 20 They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.(N)
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,(O) and strangers enjoy them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.(P)
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(Q) child is better off than he.(R) 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?(S)
7 Everyone’s toil is for their mouth,
yet their appetite is never satisfied.(T)
8 What advantage have the wise over fools?(U)
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.(V)
10 Whatever exists has already been named,(W)
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(X) they pass through like a shadow?(Y) Who can tell them what will happen under the sun after they are gone?
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.