New American Standard Bible 1995

Ecclesiastes 5:8-20

8If you see 1oppression of the poor and 2denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be 3shocked at the 4sight; for one 5official watches over another 6official, and there are higher 7officials over them. 9After all, a king who cultivates the field is an advantage to the land.

10 8He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is 9vanity. 11 10When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to 11look on? 12The sleep of the working man is 12pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the 13full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.

13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: 14riches being 15hoarded by their owner to his hurt. 14When those riches were lost through 16a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing 17to support him. 15 18As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will 19take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16This also is a grievous evil--exactly as a man 20is born, thus will he 21die. So 22what is the advantage to him who 23toils for the wind? 17Throughout his life 24he also eats in darkness with 25great vexation, sickness and anger.

18Here is what I have seen to be 26good and 27fitting: to eat, to drink and 28enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few 29years of his life which God has given him; for this is his 30 31reward. 19Furthermore, as for every man to whom 32God has given riches and wealth, He has also 33empowered him to eat from them and to receive his 34reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the 35gift of God. 20For he will not often 36consider the 37years of his life, because 38God keeps 39him occupied with the gladness of his heart.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 5

Notes

1. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Eccl 4:1 ↩
2. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Ezek 18:18 ↩
3. Ecclesiastes 5:8 1 Pet 4:12 ↩
4. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit delight ↩
5. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit high one ↩
6. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit high one ↩
7. Ecclesiastes 5:8 Lit ones ↩
8. Ecclesiastes 5:10 Eccl 1:8; 2:10, 11; 4:8 ↩
9. Ecclesiastes 5:10 Or futility ↩
10. Ecclesiastes 5:11 Eccl 2:9 ↩
11. Ecclesiastes 5:11 Lit see with their eyes ↩
12. Ecclesiastes 5:12 Prov 3:24 ↩
13. Ecclesiastes 5:12 Lit satiety ↩
14. Ecclesiastes 5:13 Eccl 6:2 ↩
15. Ecclesiastes 5:13 Lit guarded ↩
16. Ecclesiastes 5:14 Lit an evil task ↩
17. Ecclesiastes 5:14 Lit in his hand ↩
18. Ecclesiastes 5:15 Job 1:21 ↩
19. Ecclesiastes 5:15 Ps 49:17; 1 Tim 6:7 ↩
20. Ecclesiastes 5:16 Lit comes ↩
21. Ecclesiastes 5:16 Lit go ↩
22. Ecclesiastes 5:16 Eccl 1:3; 2:11; 3:9 ↩
23. Ecclesiastes 5:16 Prov 11:29 ↩
24. Ecclesiastes 5:17 Ps 127:2 ↩
25. Ecclesiastes 5:17 Eccl 2:23 ↩
26. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Eccl 2:24 ↩
27. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Lit beautiful ↩
28. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Lit see good ↩
29. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or days ↩
30. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Or share ↩
31. Ecclesiastes 5:18 Eccl 2:10 ↩
32. Ecclesiastes 5:19 2 Chr 1:12; Eccl 6:2 ↩
33. Ecclesiastes 5:19 Eccl 6:2 ↩
34. Ecclesiastes 5:19 Or share ↩
35. Ecclesiastes 5:19 Eccl 3:13 ↩
36. Ecclesiastes 5:20 Lit remember ↩
37. Ecclesiastes 5:20 Or days ↩
38. Ecclesiastes 5:20 Ex 23:25 ↩
39. Ecclesiastes 5:20 So with Gr ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Ecclesiastes 5