Ecclesiastes 5:11-18
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 5
11When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to look at them? 12The sleep of the laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich person does not allow him to sleep.
13There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth being hoarded by its owner to his detriment.
14When that wealth was lost through bad business and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him.
15As he came naked from his mother’s womb, so he will return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.
16This also is a sickening evil: exactly as a person is born, so will he die. What then is the advantage for him who labors for the wind?
17All his life he also eats in darkness with great irritation, sickness, and anger.
King James Version
Chapter 5
11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? 12The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. 13There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 14But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 15As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 16And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? 17All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 5
11When good things increase, the ones who consume them multiply; what, then, is the profit to the owner, except to gaze at them with his eyes? 12The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich permits him no sleep.
13There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
14That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed.
15As he came from his mother's womb, so he will go again, naked as he came; he will take nothing for his efforts that he can carry in his hands.
16This too is a sickening tragedy: exactly as he comes, so he will go. What does the one gain who struggles for the wind?
17What is more, he eats in darkness all his days, with much frustration, sickness, and anger.
New Living Translation
13There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver.
14Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children.
15We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us.
English Standard Version
Chapter 5
11When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.
13There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt,
14and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand.
15As 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.
16This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind?
17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.
New International Version
Chapter 5
11As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? 12The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.
13I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,
14or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit.
15Everyone comes naked from their mother's womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands.
New King James Version