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 a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. 13There is a grievous evil, which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt: and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand. 15As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 16And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind?

Ecclesiastes 5:14 word by word

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

• thoseאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• nothingלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• handיָדyâd · handH3027

Cross-references for Ecclesiastes 5:14

• Ecclesiastes 2:26For to the man that pleaseth him God giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
• Job 5:5Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the snare gapeth for their substance.
• Job 20:15He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.
• Job 27:16Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
• Psalms 39:6Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.
• Proverbs 23:5Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.
• Haggai 1:9Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it. Why? saith the LORD of hosts. Because of mine house that lieth waste, while ye run every man to his own house.
• Haggai 2:16Through all that time, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the winefat for to draw out fifty vessels, there were but twenty.
• Matthew 6:19Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust doth consume, and where thieves break through and steal:
• 1 Samuel 2:6The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
• 1 Kings 14:26and he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
• Psalms 109:9Let 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