Ecclesiastes 5:8–15

Powerful Bureaucrats Exploit the Helpless Poor

⁸Do not be surprised if you see the poor being oppressed with violence

or do not see justice and righteousness in the province.

For one official is watched by a higher official,

and there are even higher officials over them!

⁹The produce of the land is exploited by everyone;

even the king profits from the field of the poor!^c

There is Never Enough Money to Satisfy

¹⁰Whoever loves money is not satisfied with money,

and whoever loves wealth is not satisfied with profit.

This also is vanity!

¹¹When prosperity increases,

those who consume it increase.

So its owner gains nothing,

except to see his wealth before it is spent.^d

¹²The sleep of the laborer is pleasant, whether he eats little or much,

but the wealth of the rich man does not allow him to rest.

Hoarding Wealth Can Backfire

¹³There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded^e by its owner to his harm. ¹⁴That wealth was lost in a bad venture. Although he has borne a child, he has nothing to leave to him.^{f 15}Just as he came from his mother’s womb naked, he will depart^g just as he came; he will take nothing with him for his toil.