Ecclesiastes 5:14

Ecclesiastes 5:14 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
• New International Version (NIV)or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.

Context of Ecclesiastes 5:14

12The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep. 13There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on. 15As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands. 16This too is a grievous affliction: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?

Ecclesiastes 5:14 word by word

וְאָבַ֛ד הָעֹ֥שֶׁר הַה֖וּא בְּעִנְיַ֣ן רָ֑ע וְהוֹלִ֣יד בֵּ֔ן וְאֵ֥ין בְּיָד֖וֹ מְאֽוּמָה׃Read the interlinear

• orהוּאhû' hîy' · he/she/itH1931
• wealthעֹ֫שֶׁר‛ôsher · richesH6239
• lostאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
• in a failedרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
• ventureעִנְיָן‛inyân · taskH6045
• so when that man hasיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• a sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• there is nothingאַ֫יִן'ayin · nothingH369
• to pass onיָדyâd · handH3027
• to pass onמְא֫וּמָהme'ûmâh · anythingH3972

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:14

• Ecclesiastes 2:26To the man who is pleasing in His sight, He gives wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner He assigns the task of gathering and accumulating that which he will hand over to one who pleases God. This too is futile and a pursuit of the wind.
• Job 5:5The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
• Job 20:15He swallows wealth but vomits it out; God will force it from his stomach.
• Job 27:16Though he heaps up silver like dust and piles up a wardrobe like clay,
• Psalms 39:6Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.
• Proverbs 23:5When you glance at wealth, it disappears, for it makes wings for itself and flies like an eagle to the sky.
• Haggai 1:9You expected much, but behold, it amounted to little. And what you brought home, I blew away. Why? declares the LORD of Hosts. Because My house still lies in ruins, while each of you is busy with his own house.
• Haggai 2:16from that time, when one came expecting a heap of twenty ephahs of grain, there were but ten. When one came to the winepress to draw out fifty baths, there were but twenty.
• Matthew 6:19Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
• 1 Samuel 2:6The LORD brings death and gives life; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.
• 1 Kings 14:26He seized the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the royal palace. He took everything, including all the gold shields that Solomon had made.
• Psalms 109:9May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5:14

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 14And he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand - He has been stripped of his property by unfortunate trade or by plunderers; and he has nothing to leave to his children.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 14Evil travail - Adverse accident, or unsuccessful employment (compare Ecclesiastes 1:13; Ecclesiastes 4:8).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 9-17Verses 9-17 The goodness of Providence is more equally distributed than appears to a careless observer. The king needs the common things of life, and the poor share them; they relish their morsel better than he does his luxuries. There are bodily desires which silver itself will not satisfy, much less will worldly abundance satisfy spiritual desires. The more men have, the better house they must keep, the more servants they must employ, the more guests…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-14wealth hoarded...wealth lost: Possessions are temporary and can disappear for many reasons.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1413-14. Proofs of God's judgments even in this world (Pr 11:31). The rich oppressor's wealth provokes enemies, robbers, &c. Then, after having kept it for an expected son, he loses it beforehand by misfortune ("by evil travail"), and the son is born to be heir of poverty. Ec 2:19, 23 gives another aspect of the same subject.Read the comment

Topics related to Ecclesiastes 5:14

• Rich, the
• Riches

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Angry
• Defer
• Eat
• Error
• Vow
• Adventure
• Synagogue, the Great

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings