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 laborer is pleasant – whether he eats little or much – but the wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep. 13Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery. Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him. 15Just as he came forth from his mother's womb, naked will he return as he came, and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil. 16This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?

Ecclesiastes 5:14 word by word

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• But those richesעֹ֫שֶׁר‛ôsher · richesH6239
• perishאָבַד'âbad · to perishH6
• by evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: harmfulH7451
• travailעִנְיָן‛inyân · taskH6045
• and he begettethיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• a sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• nothingמְא֫וּמָהme'ûmâh · anythingH3972
• in his handיָדyâd · handH3027

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:14

• Ecclesiastes 2:26For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth – only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile – like chasing the wind!
• Job 5:5The hungry eat up his harvest, and take it even from behind the thorns, and the thirsty swallow up their fortune.
• Job 20:15The wealth that he consumed he vomits up, God will make him throw it out of his stomach.
• Job 27:16If he piles up silver like dust and stores up clothing like mounds of clay,
• Psalms 39:6Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away.”
• Proverbs 23:5When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle!
• Haggai 1:9‘You expected a large harvest, but instead there was little, and when you brought it home it disappeared right away. Why?’ asks the Lord who rules over all. ‘Because my temple remains in ruins, thanks to each of you favoring his own house!
• Haggai 2:16From that time when one came expecting a heap of twenty measures, there were only ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty measures from it, there were only twenty.
• Matthew 6:19“Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.
• 1 Samuel 2:6The Lord both kills and gives life; he brings down to the grave and raises up.
• 1 Kings 14:26He took away the treasures of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace; he took everything, including all the golden 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