Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version This too is a grievous evil: As everyone comes, so they depart, and what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? New Living Translation And this, too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing—like working for the wind. English Standard Version This also is a grievous evil: just as he came, so shall he go, and what gain is there to him who toils for the wind? Berean Standard Bible This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind? King James Bible And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind? New King James Version And this also is a severe evil— Just exactly as he came, so shall he go. And what profit has he who has labored for the wind? New American Standard Bible This also is a sickening evil: exactly as a person is born, so will he die. What then is the advantage for him who labors for the wind? NASB 1995 This also is a grievous evil— exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind? NASB 1977 And this also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So, what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind? Legacy Standard Bible This also is a sickening evil—exactly as a man came, so will he go. So what is the advantage to him who labors for the wind? Amplified Bible This also is a grievous evil—exactly as he was born, so he shall die. So what advantage has he who labors for the wind? Christian Standard Bible This too is a sickening tragedy: exactly as he comes, so he will go. What does the one gain who struggles for the wind? Holman Christian Standard Bible This too is a sickening tragedy: exactly as he comes, so he will go. What does the one gain who struggles for the wind? American Standard Version And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind? Aramaic Bible in Plain English And this also is an evil disease, for as he comes, so he goes, and what is the profit in all that he labored for the wind? Brenton Septuagint Translation And this is also an evil infirmity: for as he came, so also shall he return: and what is his gain, for which he vainly labours? Contemporary English Version That's terribly unfair. They leave the world just as they came. They gained nothing from running after the wind. Douay-Rheims Bible A most deplorable evil: as he came, so shall he return. What then doth it profit him that he hath laboured for the wind? English Revised Version And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind? GOD'S WORD® Translation This also is a painful tragedy: They leave exactly as they came. What advantage do they gain from working so hard for the wind? Good News Translation It isn't right! We go just as we came. We labor, trying to catch the wind, and what do we get? International Standard Version This is also a painful tragedy: However a person comes, he also departs; so what does he gain as he labors after the wind? JPS Tanakh 1917 And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go; and what profit hath he that he laboureth for the wind? Literal Standard Version And this also [is] a painful evil, just as he came, so he goes, and what advantage [is] to him who labors for wind? Majority Standard Bible This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind? New American Bible This too is a grievous evil, that they go just as they came. What then does it profit them to toil for the wind? NET Bible This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind? New Revised Standard Version This also is a grievous ill: just as they came, so shall they go; and what gain do they have from toiling for the wind? New Heart English Bible This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind? Webster's Bible Translation And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath labored for the wind? World English Bible This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind? Young's Literal Translation And this also is a painful evil, just as he came, so he goeth, and what advantage is to him who laboureth for wind? Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The Futility of Wealth…15As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands. 16This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind? 17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.… Cross References 1 Corinthians 16:16 to submit to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. Proverbs 11:29 He who brings trouble on his house will inherit the wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise of heart. Ecclesiastes 1:3 What does a man gain from all his labor, at which he toils under the sun? Ecclesiastes 2:11 Yet when I considered all the works that my hands had accomplished and what I had toiled to achieve, I found everything to be futile, a pursuit of the wind; there was nothing to be gained under the sun. Ecclesiastes 3:9 What does the worker gain from his toil? Treasury of Scripture And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit has he that has labored for the wind? a sore Ecclesiastes 5:13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. Ecclesiastes 2:22,23 For what hath man of all his labour, and of the vexation of his heart, wherein he hath laboured under the sun? … what 1 Samuel 12:21 And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain. Jeremiah 2:8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit. Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? for Ecclesiastes 1:3 What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? Proverbs 11:29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. Isaiah 26:18 We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. Jump to Previous Advantage Born Departs Die Evil Gain Great Grievous Labors Laboureth Painful Points Profit Sore Toiled Toils Wind WorkingJump to Next Advantage Born Departs Die Evil Gain Great Grievous Labors Laboureth Painful Points Profit Sore Toiled Toils Wind WorkingEcclesiastes 5 1. vanities in divine service8. in murmuring against oppression 9. and in riches 18. Joy in riches is the gift of God. Verse 16. - This also is a sore evil. The thought of ver. 15 is emphatically repeated. In all points as he came; i.e. naked, helpless. And what profit hath he that laboreth for the wind? The answer is emphatically "nothing." We have had similar questions in Ecclesiastes 1:3; Ecclesiastes 2:22; Ecclesiastes 3:9. To labor for the wind is to toil with no result, like the "feeding on wind, pursuing of vanity," which is the key-note of the book. The wind is the type of all that is empty, delusive, unsubstantial. In Proverbs 11:29 we have the phrase, "to inherit the wind." Job calls futile arguments "words of wind" (Job 16:3; Job 15:2). Thus the Greek proverb Ἀνέμους θ᾿ρᾶν ἐν δικτύος to try to catch the wind:" and the Latin, "Ventos pascere," and "Ventos colere "(see Erasmus, 'Adag.,' s.v. "Inanis opera"). Septuagint, Καὶ τίς ἡ περίσσεια αὐτοῦ η΅ι μοχθεῖ εἰς ἄνεμον; "And what is his gain for which he labors for the wind?" Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Thisזֹה֙ (zōh) Pronoun - feminine singular Strong's 2090: This, that too וְגַם־ (wə·ḡam-) Conjunctive waw | Conjunction Strong's 1571: Assemblage, also, even, yea, though, both, and is a grievous חוֹלָ֔ה (ḥō·w·lāh) Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular Strong's 2470: To be weak or sick evil: רָעָ֣ה (rā·‘āh) Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 7451: Bad, evil Exactly as כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every a man is born, שֶׁבָּ֖א (šeb·bā) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go so כֵּ֣ן (kên) Adverb Strong's 3651: So -- thus he will depart. יֵלֵ֑ךְ (yê·lêḵ) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk What וּמַה־ (ū·mah-) Conjunctive waw | Interrogative Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what does he gain יִּתְר֣וֹן (yiṯ·rō·wn) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3504: Preeminence, gain as he toils שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖ל (še·ya·‘ă·mōl) Pronoun - relative | Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5998: To toil, work severely and with irksomeness for the wind? לָרֽוּחַ׃ (lā·rū·aḥ) Preposition-l, Article | Noun - common singular Strong's 7307: Wind, breath, exhalation, life, anger, unsubstantiality, a region of the sky, spirit Links Ecclesiastes 5:16 NIVEcclesiastes 5:16 NLT Ecclesiastes 5:16 ESV Ecclesiastes 5:16 NASB Ecclesiastes 5:16 KJV Ecclesiastes 5:16 BibleApps.com Ecclesiastes 5:16 Biblia Paralela Ecclesiastes 5:16 Chinese Bible Ecclesiastes 5:16 French Bible Ecclesiastes 5:16 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 5:16 This also is a grievous evil that (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.) |
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