Ecclesiastes 5:7-17

7 Because much talk comes from dreams and things of no purpose. But let the fear of God be in you.

8 If you see the poor under a cruel yoke, and law and right being violently overturned in a country, be not surprised, because one authority is keeping watch on another and there are higher than they.

9 It is good generally for a country where the land is worked to have a king.

10 He who has a love for silver never has enough silver, or he who has love for wealth, enough profit. This again is to no purpose.

11 When goods are increased, the number of those who take of them is increased; and what profit has the owner but to see them?

12 The sleep of a working man is sweet, if he has little food or much; but to him who is full, sleep will not come.

13 There is a great evil which I have seen under the sun--wealth kept by the owner to be his downfall.

14 And I saw the destruction of his wealth by an evil chance; and when he became the father of a son he had nothing in his hand.

15 As he came from his mother at birth, so does he go again; he gets from his work no reward which he may take away in his hand.

16 And this again is a great evil, that in all points as he came so will he go; and what profit has he in working for the wind?

17 All his days are in the dark, and he has much sorrow, pain, disease, and trouble.

Ecclesiastes 5:7-17 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES 5

This chapter contains some rules and directions concerning the worship of God; how persons should behave when they go into the house of God; concerning hearing the word, to which there should be a readiness, and which should be preferred to the sacrifices of fools, Ec 5:1. Concerning prayer to God; which should not be uttered rashly and hastily, and should be expressed in few words; which is urged from the consideration of the majesty of God, and vileness of men; and the folly of much speaking is exposed by the simile of a dream, Ec 5:2,3. Concerning vows, which should not be rashly made; when made, should be kept; nor should excuses be afterwards framed for not performing them, since this might bring the anger of God upon men, to the destruction of the works of their hands, Ec 5:4-6; and, as an antidote against those vanities, which appear in the prayers and vows of some, and dreams of others, the fear of God is proposed, Ec 5:7; and, against any surprise at the oppression of the poor, the majesty, power, and providence of God, and his special regard to his people, are observed, Ec 5:8. And then the wise man enters into a discourse concerning riches; and observes, that the fruits of the earth, and the culture of it, are necessary to all men, and even to the king, Ec 5:9; but dissuades from covetousness, or an over love of riches; because they are unsatisfying, are attended with much trouble, often injurious to the owners of them; at length perish, and their possessors; who, at death, are stripped quite naked of all, after they have spent their days in darkness and distress, Ec 5:10-17; and concludes, therefore, that it is best for a man to enjoy, in a free manner, the good things of this life he is possessed of, and consider them as the gifts of God, and be thankful for them; by which means he will pass through the world more comfortably, and escape the troubles that attend others, Ec 5:18-20.