Ecclesiastes 5:8–15

Riches Are Meaningless

⁸If you see the poor oppressed^v in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. ⁹The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

¹⁰Whoever loves money never has enough;

whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.

This too is meaningless.

¹¹As goods increase,

so do those who consume them.

And what benefit are they to the owners

except to feast their eyes on them?

¹²The sleep of a laborer is sweet,

whether they eat little or much,

but as for the rich, their abundance

permits them no sleep.^w

¹³I have seen a grievous evil under the sun:^x

wealth hoarded to the harm of its owners,

¹⁴or wealth lost through some misfortune,

so that when they have children

there is nothing left for them to inherit.

¹⁵Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb,

and as everyone comes, so they depart.^y

They take nothing from their toil^z

that they can carry in their hands.^a