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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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
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.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Ecclesiastes 5:9 The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain
- Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or and see good
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
