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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

Ecclesiastes 5:13

There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Rich, the;   Riches;   Thompson Chain Reference - Liberality-Parsimony;   Parsimony;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Riches;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Money;   Wealth;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, the Book of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Sore;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ecclesiastes, Book of;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Wisdom;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for September 12;  

Parallel Translations

English Standard Version
There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owner to his hurt,
Geneva Bible (1587)
There is an euill sickenes that I haue seene vnder the sunne: to wit, riches reserued to the owners thereof for their euill.
Christian Standard Bible®
There is a sickening tragedy I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
Hebrew Names Version
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
Easy-to-Read Version
There is a very sad thing that I have seen happen in this life. People save their money for the future.
Amplified Bible
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being kept and hoarded by their owner to his own misery.
American Standard Version
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt:
Contemporary English Version
I have seen something terribly unfair. People get rich, but it does them no good.
Complete Jewish Bible
Due to some misfortune, the wealth turns to loss; and then if he has fathered a son, he has nothing to leave him.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.
King James Version (1611)
There is a sore euill which I haue seene vnder the Sun, namely riches kept for the owners therof to their hurt.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And that wealth shall perish in an evil trouble: and the man begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
English Revised Version
There is a grievous evil, which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt:
Berean Standard Bible
There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
Lexham English Bible
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded by its owner to his harm.
Literal Translation
There is a painful evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being kept for their owner to his evil;
New Century Version
I have seen real misery here on earth: Money saved is a curse to its owners.
New English Translation
Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.
New King James Version
There is a severe evil which I have seen under the sun: Riches kept for their owner to his hurt.
New Living Translation
There is another serious problem I have seen under the sun. Hoarding riches harms the saver.
New Life Bible
There is something very wrong which I have seen under the sun: Riches being kept by the owner and he is hurt by them.
New Revised Standard
There is a grievous ill that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owners to their hurt,
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Here was an incurable evil, I had seen under the sun, riches kept by the owner thereof, to his hurt;
Douay-Rheims Bible
(5-12) There is also another grievous evil, which I have seen under the sun: riches kept to the hurt of the owner.
George Lamsa Translation
There is also another grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, riches kept by the owner thereof to his own hurt.
Good News Translation
Here is a terrible thing that I have seen in this world: people save up their money for a time when they may need it,
New American Standard Bible
There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth being hoarded by its owner to his detriment.
King James Version
There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Yet is there a sore plague which I haue seene vnder the sunne [namely] riches kept to the hurt of him that hath them in possession:
Darby Translation
There is a grievous evil that I have seen under the sun: riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Also anothir sijknesse is ful yuel, which Y siy vndur the sunne; richessis ben kept in to the yuel of her lord.
Young's Literal Translation
There is a painful evil I have seen under the sun: wealth kept for its possessor, for his evil.
World English Bible
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
Update Bible Version
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, [namely], riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt:
Webster's Bible Translation
There is a grievous evil [which] I have seen under the sun, [namely], riches kept for the owners of them to their hurt.
Bible in Basic English
There is a great evil which I have seen under the sun--wealth kept by the owner to be his downfall.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Yet is there a sore plage, which I haue sene vnder the Sonne (namely) riches kepte to the hurte of him yt hath them in possession.
THE MESSAGE
Here's a piece of bad luck I've seen happen: A man hoards far more wealth than is good for him And then loses it all in a bad business deal. He fathered a child but hasn't a cent left to give him. He arrived naked from the womb of his mother; He'll leave in the same condition—with nothing. This is bad luck, for sure—naked he came, naked he went. So what was the point of working for a salary of smoke? All for a miserable life spent in the dark?
New American Standard Bible (1995)
There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their owner to his hurt.
Legacy Standard Bible
There is a sickening evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being hoarded by their master to his own evil demise.

Contextual Overview

9 But in all, a king is an advantage to a land with cultivated fields. 10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money; nor he who loves wealth, with gain: this also is vanity. 11 When goods increase, they increase who eat them; and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes? 12 Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much; but the surfeit of the rich will not let him sleep. 13 There is a grievous evil which 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, which he may carry away in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go; and what gain has he that he toiled for the wind, 17 and spent all his days in darkness and grief, in much vexation and sickness and resentment?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a sore: Ecclesiastes 4:8, Ecclesiastes 6:1, Ecclesiastes 6:2

riches: Ecclesiastes 8:9, Genesis 13:5-11, Genesis 14:16, Genesis 19:14, Genesis 19:26, Genesis 19:31-38, Proverbs 1:11-13, Proverbs 1:19, Proverbs 1:32, Proverbs 11:4, Proverbs 11:24, Proverbs 11:25, Isaiah 2:20, Isaiah 32:6-8, Zephaniah 1:18, Luke 12:16-21, Luke 16:1-13, Luke 16:19, Luke 16:22, Luke 16:23, Luke 18:22, Luke 18:23, Luke 19:8, 1 Timothy 6:9, 1 Timothy 6:10, James 2:5-7, James 5:1-4

Reciprocal: Joshua 7:24 - took Achan Esther 8:2 - Esther set Job 20:20 - Surely Psalms 49:10 - leave Proverbs 4:23 - with all diligence Proverbs 23:5 - riches Ecclesiastes 2:18 - I should Ecclesiastes 5:16 - a sore Ecclesiastes 10:5 - an evil Jeremiah 17:11 - shall leave Jeremiah 48:36 - the riches Matthew 13:22 - the deceitfulness 1 Timothy 6:17 - uncertain riches

Gill's Notes on the Bible

There is a sore evil [which] I have seen under the sun,.... Or "an evil sickness" m. A sinful disease in the person with whom it is found, and very disagreeable to others to behold; it is enough to make one sick to see it; and what he is about to relate he himself was an eyewitness of:

[namely], riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt; laid up in barns and granaries, as the fruits of the earth; or in chests and coffers, as gold and silver, for the use and service of the owners of them; and which yet have been to their real injury; being either used by them in a luxurious and intemperate way, so have brought diseases on their bodies, and damnation to their souls; or not used at all for their own good, or the good of others, which brings the curse of God upon them, to their ruin and destruction, both here and hereafter: and oftentimes so it is, and which no doubt had fallen under the observation of Solomon, that some who have been great misers, and have hoarded up their substance, without using them themselves, or sharing them with others, have not only been plundered of them, but, for the sake of them, their lives have been taken away in a most barbarous manner, by cutthroats and villains; sometimes by their own servants, nay, even by their own children. Riches ill gotten and ill used are very prejudicial to the owners; and if they are well got, but ill used, or not used at all, greatly hurt the spiritual and eternal state of men; it is a difficult thing for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and a covetous man cannot; if a professor, the word he hears is choked and made unprofitable; he errs from the faith, and pierces himself through with many sorrows now, and is liable to eternal damnation hereafter. The Targum interprets it of a man that gathers riches, and does no good with them; but keeps them to himself, to do himself evil in the world to come.

m רעה חולה "morbus malus", Tigurine version, Vatablus.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 13. Riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. — This may be the case through various causes:

1. He may make an improper use of them, and lose his health by them.

2. He may join in an unfortunate partnership and lose all.

3. His riches may excite the desire of the robber; and he may spoil him of his goods, and even take away his life.

4. Or, he may leave them to his son, who turns profligate, spends the whole, and ruins both his body and soul. I have seen this again and again.


 
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