Ecclesiastes 5:18

Lo! what, I myself, have seen—Better that it should be excellent to eat and to drink and to see blessedness, in all one’s toil wherein one toileth under the sun, for the number of the days of his life, in that God hath given it him, for, that, is his portion:

The Emphasised Bible by J. B. Rotherham

In The King James Version

Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

In Context

17Even all his days, [are spent] in darkness and mourning,—and he is very morose, and is sad and angry.

19yet, as regardeth every man, to whom God hath given wealth and goods, and granted him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to find gladness in his toil, this, is, the gift of God.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 5

Cross References

Ecclesiastes 2:24There was nothing more blessed for Man [than] that he should eat and drink, and see his desireth for blessedness in his toil,—even this, saw, I myself, that, from the hand of God, it was.

Ecclesiastes 3:13Though indeed, that any man should eat and drink, and see blessedness, in all his toil, it is, the gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 6:2A man to whom God giveth riches and gains and honour, so that nothing doth he lack for his soul—of all that he craveth, and yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but, a man unknown, eateth it,—this, was vanity, and, an incurable evil, it was.

Ecclesiastes 9:7Go thy way—eat, with gladness, thy food, and drink, with a happy heart, thy wine,—when already God is well pleased with thy works.

Jeremiah 52:34And his allowance, was a continual allowance given him from the king of Babylon the portion of the day upon its own day, until the day of his death,—all the days of his life.

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 →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Ecclesiastes 5:18