Ecclesiastes 5:14

(5-13) and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

JPS TaNaKH 1917

In The King James Version

But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

In Context

13(5-12) There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt;

15(5-14) As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he go back as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 5

Cross References

1 Samuel 2:36And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left in thy house shall come and bow down to him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread, and shall say: Put me, I pray thee, into one of the priests' offices, that I may eat a morsel of bread.'

Job 1:21And he said; naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither; the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Job 20:15He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again; God shall cast them out of his belly.

Psalms 39:6(39-7) Surely man walketh as a mere semblance; surely for vanity they are in turmoil; he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.

Psalms 109:9Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.

Ecclesiastes 2:26For to the man that is good in His sight He giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner He giveth the task, to gather and to heap up, that he may leave to him that is good in the sight of God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Matthew Henry on Ecclesiastes 5:10-18

The Vanity of Riches. 9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field. 10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity. 11 When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes? 12 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.… Read the whole commentary →

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