Ecclesiastes 5:12

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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich seldom get a good night’s sleep.

Context of Ecclesiastes 5:12

10Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. 11As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owners except to feast their eyes on them? The 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.

Ecclesiastes 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 4:8In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
• Psalms 127:2In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat— for he grants sleep to those he loves.
• Proverbs 3:24When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
• Jeremiah 31:26At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

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

• Contentment
• Labor
• Riches

In the dictionaries

• Abundance
• Angry
• Defer
• Eat
• Error
• Vow
• Abound; Abundance; Abundant; Abundantly
• 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