Ecclesiastes 5:9-19
New American Standard Bible
10One who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor one who loves abundance with its income. This too is futility.
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.
18Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink, and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he labors under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward.
19Furthermore, as for every person to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also given him the opportunity to enjoy them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.
King James Version
Chapter 5
9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. 10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 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.
18Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.
19Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
Christian Standard Bible
10The one who loves silver is never satisfied with silver, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile.
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.
18Here is what I have seen to be good: It is appropriate to eat, drink, and experience good in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of his life God has given him, because that is his reward.
19Furthermore, everyone to whom God has given riches and wealth, he has also allowed him to enjoy them, take his reward, and rejoice in his labor. This is a gift of God,
New Living Translation
10Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!
11The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth — except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!
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.
16And this, too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing — like working for the wind.
17Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud — frustrated, discouraged, and angry.
18Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life.
19And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life — this is indeed a gift from God.
English Standard Version
10He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.
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.
18Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment 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 lot.
19Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.
New International Version
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.
16This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind?
17All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.
18This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them--for this is their lot.
19Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil--this is a gift of God.
New King James Version
10He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.
11When goods increase, They increase who eat them; So what profit have the owners Except to see them with their eyes?
12The 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 There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.
14But those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.
15 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.
16And this also is a severe evil— Just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind?
17All his days he also eats in darkness, And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.
18Here is what I have seen: 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; for it is his heritage.
19As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.