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 King James Version
The Vanity of Gain and Honor
8 If you (A)see the oppression of the poor, and the violent [a]perversion of justice and righteousness in a province, do not marvel at the matter; for (B)high official watches over high official, and higher officials are over them.
9 Moreover the profit of the land is for all; even the king is served from the field.
10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver;
Nor he who loves abundance, with increase.
This also is vanity.
11 When goods increase,
They increase who eat them;
So what profit have the owners
Except to see them with their eyes?
12 The sleep of a laboring man is sweet,
Whether he eats little or much;
But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.
13 (C)There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun:
Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.
14 But those riches perish through [b]misfortune;
When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.
15 (D)As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return,
To go as he came;
And he shall take nothing from his labor
Which he may carry away in his hand.
16 And this also is a severe evil—
Just exactly as he came, so shall he go.
And (E)what profit has he (F)who has labored for the wind?
17 All his days (G)he also eats in darkness,
And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen: (H)It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; (I)for it is his [c]heritage. 19 As for (J)every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his [d]heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the (K)gift of God. 20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 5:8 wresting
- Ecclesiastes 5:14 Lit. bad business
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 Lit. portion
- Ecclesiastes 5:19 Lit. portion
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
