Ecclesiastes 5:12-16
New American Standard Bible
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?
King James Version
Chapter 5
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?Christian Standard Bible
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?
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
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?
New International Version
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