Ecclesiastes 5:14
New International Version
or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when they have children there is nothing left for them to inherit.

New Living Translation
Money is put into risky investments that turn sour, and everything is lost. In the end, there is nothing left to pass on to one’s children.

English Standard Version
and those riches were lost in a bad venture. And he is father of a son, but he has nothing in his hand.

Berean Standard Bible
or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.

King James Bible
But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

New King James Version
But those riches perish through misfortune; When he begets a son, there is nothing in his hand.

New American Standard Bible
When that wealth was lost through bad business and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him.

NASB 1995
When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him.

NASB 1977
When those riches were lost through a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing to support him.

Legacy Standard Bible
And those riches were lost through a bad endeavor; and he became the father of a son, but there was nothing in his hand for him.

Amplified Bible
For when those riches are lost in bad investments and he becomes the father of a son, then there is nothing in his hand [for the support of the child].

Christian Standard Bible
That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
That wealth was lost in a bad venture, so when he fathered a son, he was empty-handed.

American Standard Version
and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And wealth is lost in bad business, for he begets a son and there is nothing in his hand

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And that wealth shall perish in an evil trouble: and the man begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

Contemporary English Version
Suddenly they lose everything in a bad business deal, then have nothing to leave for their children.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For they are lost with very great affliction: he hath begotten a son, who shall be in extremity of want.

English Revised Version
and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
These hoarded riches were then lost in bad business deals. The owners had children, but now they have nothing to give them.

Good News Translation
and then lose it all in some bad deal and end up with nothing left to pass on to their children.

International Standard Version
and that wealth is lost in troubled circumstances. Then a son is born, but there is nothing left for him.

JPS Tanakh 1917
and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

Literal Standard Version
And that wealth has been lost in an evil business, and he has begotten a son and there is nothing in his hand!

Majority Standard Bible
or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.

New American Bible
Should the riches be lost through some misfortune, they may have offspring when they have no means.

NET Bible
Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.

New Revised Standard Version
and those riches were lost in a bad venture; though they are parents of children, they have nothing in their hands.

New Heart English Bible
Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

Webster's Bible Translation
But those riches perish by evil labor: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

World English Bible
Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

Young's Literal Translation
And that wealth hath been lost in an evil business, and he hath begotten a son and there is nothing in his hand!

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Futility of Wealth
13There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, 14or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on. 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.…

Cross References
Psalm 39:6
Surely every man goes about like a phantom; surely he bustles in vain; he heaps up riches not knowing who will haul them away.

Ecclesiastes 5:13
There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,

Ecclesiastes 5:15
As 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.


Treasury of Scripture

But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

those

Ecclesiastes 2:26
For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Job 5:5
Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

Job 20:15-29
He hath swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly…

and he

1 Samuel 2:6-8,36
The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up…

1 Kings 14:26
And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

Psalm 109:9-12
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow…

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Adventure Bad Begetteth Begotten Destruction Evil Fathered Hand Labor Misfortune Perish Riches Support Travail Venture Wealth
Ecclesiastes 5
1. vanities in divine service
8. in murmuring against oppression
9. and in riches
18. Joy in riches is the gift of God.














(14) Evil travail.--Unsuccessful business.

Nothing in his hand.--The same words occur in a literal sense in Judges 14:6.

Verse 14. - Those riches perish by evil travail; thing or circumstance. There is no need to confine the cause of the loss to unsuccessful business, as many commentators do. The rich man does not seem to be a tradesman or speculator; he loses his property, like Job, by visitations for which he is in no way answerable - by storm or tempest, by robbers, by fire, by exactions, or by lawsuits. And he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. The verb rendered "begetteth" is in the past tense, and used as it were, hypothetically, equivalent to "hath he begotten a son," supposing he has a son. His misery is doubled by the reflection that he has lost all hope of securing a fortune for his children, or founding a family, or passing on an inheritance to posterity. It is doubtful to whom the pronoun "his" refers. Many consider that the father is meant, and the clause says that when he has begotten a son, he finds he has nothing to give him. But the suffix seems most naturally to refer to the son, who is thus left a pauper. Vulgate, Generavit filium qui in summa egestate erit. Having a thing in the hand moans having power over it, or possessing it.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
or
הַה֖וּא (ha·hū)
Article | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

wealth
הָעֹ֥שֶׁר (hā·‘ō·šer)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6239: Wealth

lost
וְאָבַ֛ד (wə·’ā·ḇaḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6: To wander away, lose oneself, to perish

in a bad
רָ֑ע (rā‘)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

venture,
בְּעִנְיַ֣ן (bə·‘in·yan)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6045: Ado, employment, an affair

so that when he has
וְהוֹלִ֣יד (wə·hō·w·lîḏ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage

a son
בֵּ֔ן (bên)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

there is nothing
וְאֵ֥ין (wə·’ên)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

to pass on.
בְּיָד֖וֹ (bə·yā·ḏōw)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand


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OT Poetry: Ecclesiastes 5:14 Those riches perish by misfortune and if (Ecclesiast. Ec Ecc Eccles.)
Ecclesiastes 5:13
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