5
Ecclesiastes

Injustice and the Emptiness of Wealth and Desire

Ecclesiastes 5:8-6:12
8If you see oppression of the poor and violence against justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astounded at the matter, for a higher one is kept by a higher one, and still higher ones are over them. 9And the advantage of the land in all respects is this: a king is served by the soil. 10A lover of silver will not be satisfied with silver, and whoever loves a crowd will not produce; this also is vanity. 11When the welfare increases, its eaters multiply, and what advantage is there to its masters except the sight of their eyes beholding it? 12The sleep of the laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich does not allow him to rest so as to sleep. 13There is a distressing evil that I saw under the sun: riches kept for their owners to their own harm. 14And those riches perish through a harmful venture, and he begets a son yet has nothing in his hand. 15As he came forth naked from his mother's womb, so he returns to go as he came, and he takes away nothing in his toil that he can carry in his hand. 16This also is a distressing evil: just as he came, so he goes; and what advantage does he have who toils for the spirit? 17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, and he is greatly vexed, with his sickness and anger. 18Behold what I saw as good and fitting: to eat and to drink and to see welfare in all the toil with which one toils under the sun during the few days of the life that God has given him, for that is his portion. 19Also everyone to whom God has given riches and wealth, he has empowered him to eat from it and to take his portion and to rejoice in his toil; this is the gift of God. 20For he will not much remember the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
Chapter 6
1There is an evil that I saw under the sun, and it lies heavy upon the man. 2A man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God does not empower him to eat from it, because a foreign man eats it: this is vanity and a grievous evil. 3If a man fathers a hundred children and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, yet his soul is not satisfied with good things, and he has no burial, I say that a miscarriage is better than he. 4For he comes in vanity and walks in darkness, and his name is covered in darkness. 5He has not seen the sun, nor known rest; this one has more rest than that one. 6Even if he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good, do not all go to one place? 7All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet the soul is not filled. 8For what advantage has the wise man over the fool, or what has the poor man who knows how to walk before the living? 9Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the soul; this also is vanity and a longing of the spirit. 10Whatever has been, its name was already called, and it is known that he is a man; he cannot contend with one who is mightier than he. 11For there are many words that increase vanity; what advantage has a man? 12For who knows what is good for man in life during the few days of his vain life, which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
Tap a verse