Ecclesiastes 5:13–15
13 I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:x
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.y
They take nothing from their toilz
that they can carry in their hands.a
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — English Standard Version (ESV)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — King James Version (KJV 1900)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — New Living Translation (NLT)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — The New King James Version (NKJV)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — New Century Version (NCV)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — American Standard Version (ASV)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)
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.
Ecclesiastes 5:13–15 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.
14 When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him.
15 As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.