13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,

14 or wealth lost through some misfortune,

so that when they have children

there is nothing left for them to inherit.

15 Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,

and as everyone comes, so they depart.

They take nothing from their toil

that they can carry in their hands.

16 This too is a grievous evil:

As everyone comes, so they depart,

and what do they gain,

since they toil for the wind?

17 All their days they eat in darkness,

with great frustration, affliction and anger.

13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand. 15 As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? 17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness in much vexation and sickness and anger.

13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 15 As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? 17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

13 There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver. 14 Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children. 15 We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can’t take our riches with us.

16 And this, too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing—like working for the wind. 17 Throughout their lives, they live under a cloud—frustrated, discouraged, and angry.

13 There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun:

Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.

14 But those riches perish through misfortune;

When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.

15 As he came from his mother’s womb, naked shall he return,

To go as he came;

And he shall take nothing from his labor

Which he may carry away in his hand.

16 And this also is a severe evil—

Just exactly as he came, so shall he go.

And what profit has he who has labored for the wind?

17 All his days he also eats in darkness,

And he has much sorrow and sickness and anger.

13 I have seen real misery here on earth:

Money saved is a curse to its owners.

14 They lose it all in a bad deal

and have nothing to give to their children.

15 People come into this world with nothing,

and when they die they leave with nothing.

In spite of all their hard work,

they leave just as they came.

16 This, too, is real misery:

They leave just as they came.

So what do they gain from chasing the wind?

17 All they get are days full of sadness and sorrow,

and they end up sick, defeated, and angry.

13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt: 14 and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand. 15 As he came forth from his mother’s womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand. 16 And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind? 17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he is sore vexed, and hath sickness and wrath.

13 There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt; 14 or those riches perish by some evil circumstance, and if he have begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand. 15 As he came forth from his mother’s womb, naked shall he go away again as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 16 And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came so doth he go away, and what profit hath he, in having laboured for the wind? 17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and hath much vexation, and sickness, and irritation.

13 There is a painful tragedy that I have seen under the sun: Riches lead to the downfall of those who hoard them. 14 These hoarded riches were then lost in bad business deals. The owners had children, but now they have nothing to give them. 15 They came from their mother’s womb naked. They will leave as naked as they came. They won’t even be able to take a handful of their earnings with them from all their hard work. 

16 This also is a painful tragedy: They leave exactly as they came. What advantage do they gain from working so hard for the wind? 17 They spend their entire lives in darkness, in constant frustration, sickness, and resentment. 

13 There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm. 14 That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed. 15 As he came from his mother’s womb, so he will go again, naked as he came; he will take nothing for his efforts that he can carry in his hands. 16 This too is a sickening tragedy: exactly as he comes, so he will go. What does the one gain who struggles for the wind? 17 What is more, he eats in darkness all his days, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.

13 There is a grievous ill that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owners to their hurt, 14 and those riches were lost in a bad venture; though they are parents of children, they have nothing in their hands. 15 As they came from their mother’s womb, so they shall go again, naked as they came; they shall take nothing for their toil, which they may carry away with their hands. 16 This also is a grievous ill: just as they came, so shall they go; and what gain do they have from toiling for the wind? 17 Besides, all their days they eat in darkness, in much vexation and sickness and resentment.

13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded by its owner to his harm. 14 That wealth was lost in a bad venture. Although he has borne a child, he has nothing to leave to him. 15 Just as he came from his mother’s womb naked, he will depart just as he came; he will take nothing with him for his toil. 16 This also is a grievous illness. Exactly as he came, so he will go. What profit does he gain for all his toil for the wind? 17 Also, he eats in darkness all his days; he is frustrated in much sickness and resentment.

13 I’ve seen something very evil on earth.

It’s when wealth is stored up

and then brings harm to its owner.

14 It’s also when wealth is lost

because of an unwise business deal.

Then there won’t be anything left

for the owner’s son.

15 A man is born naked.

He comes into the world with nothing.

And he goes out of it with nothing.

He doesn’t get anything from his work

that he can take with him.

16 Here’s something else that is very evil.

A man is born, and a man dies.

And what does he get for his work?

Nothing. It’s like working for the wind.

17 All his life he eats in darkness.

His life is full of trouble, suffering and anger.