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Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
Lexham English Bible
Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
Lexham English Bible
Powerful Bureaucrats Exploit the Helpless Poor
8 Do not be surprised if you see the poor being oppressed with violence
or do not see justice and righteousness in the province.
For one official is watched by a higher official,
and there are even higher officials over them!
9 The produce of the land is exploited by everyone;
even the king profits from the field of the poor![a]
There is Never Enough Money to Satisfy
10 Whoever loves money is not satisfied with money,
and whoever loves wealth is not satisfied with profit.
This also is vanity!
11 When prosperity increases,
those who consume it increase.
So its owner gains nothing,
except to see his wealth before it is spent.[b]
12 The sleep of the laborer is pleasant, whether he eats little or much,
but the wealth of the rich man does not allow him to rest.
Hoarding Wealth Can Backfire
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded[c] by its owner to his harm. 14 That wealth was lost in a bad venture. Although he has borne a child, he has nothing to leave to him.[d] 15 Just as he came from his mother’s womb naked, he will depart[e] just as he came; he will take nothing with him for his toil. 16 This also is a grievous illness. Exactly as he came, so he will go. What profit does he gain for all his toil for the wind? 17 Also, he eats in darkness all his days; he is frustrated in much sickness and resentment.
If You Have Wealth, Enjoy It as God Enables
18 Look! I have discovered what is good and fitting: to eat and to drink and to enjoy[f] all the fruit of the toil with which one toils under the sun during the number of the days of his life that God gives to him—for this is his lot.[g] 19 This indeed is a gift of God: everyone to whom God gives wealth and possessions, he also empowers him to enjoy them,[h] to accept his lot, and to rejoice in the fruit of his toil. 20 For he does not remember the brief days of his life, for God keeps his heart preoccupied with enjoyment of life.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 5:9 Literally “for the field is even worked for the king”
- Ecclesiastes 5:11 Literally “And what gain has its owner but to see it with his eyes?”
- Ecclesiastes 5:13 Literally “kept ”
- Ecclesiastes 5:14 Literally “he has nothing in his hand”
- Ecclesiastes 5:15 Literally “return to go”
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 Literally “to see goodness”
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or “fate”
- Ecclesiastes 5:19 Literally “to eat from it”
Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
New International Version
Ecclesiastes 5:8-20
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)
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