EasyEnglish Bible 2018
Ecclesiastes 5:12
12Someone who has worked hard all day will sleep well at night. That is true even if they have not had much food to eat. But the rich man worries about his riches. So he does not sleep well.
Ecclesiastes 5:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)The 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.
- New International Version (NIV)The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether they eat little or much, but as for the rich, their abundance permits them no sleep.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)The 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.
Context of Ecclesiastes 5:12
10People who love money never have enough. They may get more and more valuable things, but they are never happy. This also has no purpose. 11As a person's money becomes more, there are more people who want a share of it. Money does not help the people who have a lot of it. They see it, but it quickly disappears. Someone who has worked hard all day will sleep well at night. That is true even if they have not had much food to eat. But the rich man worries about his riches. So he does not sleep well. 13I have seen another terrible thing that happens on the earth. Some people may store their riches, but it does not help them in a time of trouble. 14Something may happen in the future that causes their money to disappear. After they die, no money remains for their children.
Read all of Ecclesiastes 5Ecclesiastes 5:12 word by word
מְתוּקָה֙ שְׁנַ֣ת הָעֹבֵ֔ד אִם־מְעַ֥ט וְאִם־הַרְבֵּ֖ה יֹאכֵ֑ל וְהַשָּׂבָע֙ לֶֽעָשִׁ֔יר אֵינֶ֛נּוּ מַנִּ֥יחַֽ ל֖וֹ לִישֽׁוֹן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- The sleepשֵׁנָהshênâh shênâ' · sleepH8142
- of a labouring manעָבַד‛âbad · to serve: labourH5647
- sweetמָתוֹקmâthôq mâthûq · sweetH4966
- whether he eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- littleמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
- or muchרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- but the abundanceשָׂבָעώâbâ‛ · abundanceH7647
- of the richעָשִׁיר‛âshîyr · richH6223
- will not sufferיָנַחyânach · to restH3240
- him to sleepיָשֵׁןyâshên · to sleepH3462
Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:12
- Psalms 4:8I will lie down and I will sleep in peace. You, Lord, are the one who takes care of me, and you keep me safe.
- Psalms 127:2It will not help you to work all day for food, and never stop. God gives food to the people that he loves. Even while they sleep, God takes care of them.
- Proverbs 3:24When you lie down to sleep, you will not be afraid. You will sleep well with peace in your mind.
- Jeremiah 31:26Then they will say, “When I woke from my sleep and I looked around, I was happy.” ’
Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12The sleep of a laboring man is sweet - His labor is healthy exercise. He is without possessions, and without cares; his sleep, being undisturbed, is sound and refreshing.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Labouring man - Not a slave (Septuagint), but everyone who, according to the divine direction, earns his bread in the sweat of his brow.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. 12The sleep of the worker is sweet: Hard work and balance create a peaceful, productive life. Chasing wealth causes unnecessary worries (Ecclesiastes 5:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. Another argument against anxiety to gain riches. "Sleep ... sweet" answers to "quietness" (Ec 4:6); "not suffer ... sleep," to "vexation of spirit." Fears for his wealth, and an overloaded stomach without "laboring" (compare Ec 4:5), will not suffer the rich oppressor to sleep.Read the comment
Topics related to Ecclesiastes 5:12
In the dictionaries
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
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