Ecclesiastes 5:13

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

Materialism Thwarts Enjoyment of Life Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Eccl 6:1-2 : 1 Not Everyone Enjoys Life Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people: 2 God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor– instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.
  • Gen 19:14 : 14 Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. He said,“Quick, get out of this place because the LORD is about to destroy the city!” But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them.
  • Gen 19:26 : 26 But Lot’s wife looked back longingly and was turned into a pillar of salt.
  • Gen 19:31-38 : 31 Later the older daughter said to the younger,“Our father is old, and there is no man in the country to sleep with us, the way everyone does. 32 Come, let’s make our father drunk with wine so we can go to bed with him and preserve our family line through our father.” 33 So that night they made their father drunk with wine, and the older daughter came in and went to bed with her father. But he was not aware of when she lay down with him or when she got up. 34 So in the morning the older daughter said to the younger,“Since I went to bed with my father last night, let’s make him drunk again tonight. Then you go in and go to bed with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 35 So they made their father drunk that night as well, and the younger one came and went to bed with him. But he was not aware of when she lay down with him or when she got up. 36 In this way both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father. 37 The older daughter gave birth to a son and named him Moab. He is the ancestor of the Moabites of today. 38 The younger daughter also gave birth to a son and named him Ben Ammi. He is the ancestor of the Ammonites of today.
  • Prov 1:11-13 : 11 If they say,“Come with us! We will lie in wait to shed blood; we will ambush an innocent person capriciously. 12 We will swallow them alive like Sheol, those full of vigor like those going down to the Pit. 13 We will seize all kinds of precious wealth; we will fill our houses with plunder.
  • Prov 1:19 : 19 Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly; it takes away the life of those who obtain it!
  • Prov 1:32 : 32 For the waywardness of the simpletons will kill them, and the careless ease of fools will destroy them.
  • Prov 11:4 : 4 Wealth does not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
  • Prov 11:24-25 : 24 One person is generous and yet grows more wealthy, but another withholds more than he should and comes to poverty. 25 A generous person will be enriched, and the one who provides water for others will himself be satisfied.
  • Eccl 4:8 : 8 A man who is all alone with no companion, he has no children nor siblings; yet there is no end to all his toil, and he is never satisfied with riches. He laments,“For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is futile and a burdensome task!
  • Isa 32:6-8 : 6 For a fool speaks disgraceful things; his mind plans out sinful deeds. He commits godless deeds and says misleading things about the LORD; he gives the hungry nothing to satisfy their appetite and gives the thirsty nothing to drink. 7 A deceiver’s methods are evil; he dreams up evil plans to ruin the poor with lies, even when the needy are in the right. 8 An honorable man makes honorable plans; his honorable character gives him security.
  • Zeph 1:18 : 18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’s angry judgment. The whole earth will be consumed by his fiery wrath. Indeed, he will bring terrifying destruction on all who live on the earth.”
  • Luke 12:16-21 : 16 He then told them a parable:“The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant crop, 17 so he thought to himself,‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said,‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to myself,“You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’ 20 But God said to him,‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God.”
  • Luke 16:1-9 : 1 The Parable of the Clever Steward Jesus also said to the disciples,“There was a rich man who was informed of accusations that his manager was wasting his assets. 2 So he called the manager in and said to him,‘What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your administration, because you can no longer be my manager.’ 3 Then the manager said to himself,‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m too ashamed to beg. 4 I know what to do so that when I am put out of management, people will welcome me into their homes.’ 5 So he contacted his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first,‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 The man replied,‘A hundred measures of olive oil.’ The manager said to him,‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another,‘And how much do you owe?’ The second man replied,‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ The manager said to him,‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 The master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries than the people of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by how you use worldly wealth, so that when it runs out you will be welcomed into the eternal homes. 10 “The one who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you haven’t been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will entrust you with the true riches? 12 And if you haven’t been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
  • Luke 16:19 : 19 The Rich Man and Lazarus“There was a rich man who dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
  • Luke 16:22-23 : 22 “Now the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And in Hades, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.
  • Luke 18:22-23 : 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him,“One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.
  • Eccl 8:9 : 9 While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.
  • Gen 13:5-9 : 5 Now Lot, who was traveling with Abram, also had flocks, herds, and tents. 6 But the land could not support them while they were living side by side. Because their possessions were so great, they were not able to live alongside one another. 7 So there were quarrels between Abram’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen.(Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at that time.) 8 Abram said to Lot,“Let there be no quarreling between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen, for we are close relatives. 9 Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself now from me. If you go to the left, then I’ll go to the right, but if you go to the right, then I’ll go to the left.” 10 Lot looked up and saw the whole region of the Jordan. He noticed that all of it was well-watered(before the LORD obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah) like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, all the way to Zoar. 11 Lot chose for himself the whole region of the Jordan and traveled toward the east. So the relatives separated from each other.
  • Gen 14:16 : 16 He retrieved all the stolen property. He also brought back his nephew Lot and his possessions, as well as the women and the rest of the people.
  • Isa 2:20 : 20 At that time men will throw their silver and gold idols, which they made for themselves to worship, into the caves where rodents and bats live,
  • Luke 19:8 : 8 But Zacchaeus stopped and said to the Lord,“Look, Lord, half of my possessions I now give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone of anything, I am paying back four times as much!”
  • 1 Tim 6:9-9 : 9 Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.
  • Jas 2:5-7 : 5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to?
  • Jas 5:1-4 : 1 Warning to the Rich Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and silver have rusted and their rust will be a witness against you. It will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have hoarded treasure! 4 Look, the pay you have held back from the workers who mowed your fields cries out against you, and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Eccl 5:14
    83%

    14Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.

  • Eccl 6:1-2
    2 verses
    82%

    1Not Everyone Enjoys Life Here is another misfortune that I have seen on earth, and it weighs heavily on people:

    2God gives a man riches, property, and wealth so that he lacks nothing that his heart desires, yet God does not enable him to enjoy the fruit of his labor– instead, someone else enjoys it! This is fruitless and a grave misfortune.

  • Eccl 5:10-12
    3 verses
    80%

    10Covetousness The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money, he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. This also is futile.

    11When someone’s prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase; so what does its owner gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes?

    12The sleep of the laborer is pleasant– whether he eats little or much– but the wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

  • Prov 1:19
    77%

    19Such are the ways of all who gain profit unjustly; it takes away the life of those who obtain it!

  • Eccl 10:5
    77%

    5I have seen another misfortune on the earth: It is an error a ruler makes.

  • Prov 13:7-8
    2 verses
    76%

    7There is one who pretends to be rich and yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor and yet possesses great wealth.

    8The ransom of a person’s life is his wealth, thus the poor person has never heard a threat.

  • Prov 28:22
    75%

    22The stingy person hastens after riches and does not know that poverty will overtake him.

  • Prov 13:22-23
    2 verses
    75%

    22A good person leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren, but the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.

    23Abundant food may come from the field of the poor, but it is swept away by injustice.

  • Prov 22:16
    75%

    16The one who oppresses the poor to increase his own gain and the one who gives to the rich– both end up only in poverty.

  • Prov 13:11
    75%

    11Wealth gained quickly will dwindle away, but the one who gathers it little by little will become rich.

  • Eccl 8:9
    75%

    9While applying my mind to everything that happens in this world, I have seen all this: Sometimes one person dominates other people to their harm.

  • Eccl 5:16-17
    2 verses
    75%

    16This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?

    17Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger.

  • Jas 5:1-2
    2 verses
    74%

    1Warning to the Rich Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud over the miseries that are coming on you.

    2Your riches have rotted and your clothing has become moth-eaten.

  • Prov 10:15
    74%

    15The wealth of a rich person is like a fortified city, but the poor are brought to ruin by their poverty.

  • 1 Tim 6:9-10
    2 verses
    74%

    9Those who long to be rich, however, stumble into temptation and a trap and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.

    10For the love of money is the root of all evils. Some people in reaching for it have strayed from the faith and stabbed themselves with many pains.

  • Prov 15:6
    73%

    6In the house of the righteous is abundant wealth, but the income of the wicked will be ruined.

  • Eccl 2:21-22
    2 verses
    73%

    21For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge, and skill; however, he must hand over the fruit of his labor as an inheritance to someone else who did not work for it. This also is futile, and an awful injustice!

    22Painful Days and Restless Nights What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?

  • Prov 5:10
    73%

    10lest strangers devour your strength, and your labor benefit another man’s house.

  • Hab 2:9
    72%

    9The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead. He does this so he can build his nest way up high and escape the clutches of disaster.

  • Eccl 5:19
    72%

    19To every man whom God has given wealth, and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.

  • Prov 11:4
    72%

    4Wealth does not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

  • Luke 12:21
    72%

    21So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God.”

  • Prov 11:24
    72%

    24One person is generous and yet grows more wealthy, but another withholds more than he should and comes to poverty.

  • Eccl 8:14
    72%

    14Here is another enigma that occurs on earth: Sometimes there are righteous people who get what the wicked deserve, and sometimes there are wicked people who get what the righteous deserve. I said,“This also is an enigma.”

  • Job 5:3
    72%

    3I myself have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his place of residence.

  • Eccl 3:16
    72%

    16The Problem of Injustice and Oppression I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.

  • Eccl 7:15
    72%

    15Exceptions to the Law of Retribution During the days of my fleeting life I have seen both of these things: Sometimes a righteous person dies prematurely in spite of his righteousness, and sometimes a wicked person lives long in spite of his evil deeds.

  • Prov 28:8
    72%

    8The one who increases his wealth by increasing interest gathers it for someone who is gracious to the needy.

  • Job 5:5
    71%

    5The hungry eat up his harvest, and take it even from behind the thorns, and the thirsty pant for their wealth.

  • Prov 21:26
    71%

    26All day long he has craved greedily, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.

  • Prov 20:14
    71%

    14“It’s worthless! It’s worthless!” says the buyer, but when he goes on his way, he boasts.

  • Ps 37:16
    71%

    16The little bit that a godly man owns is better than the wealth of many evil men,

  • Prov 23:5
    71%

    5When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle!

  • Eccl 9:3
    71%

    3This is the unfortunate fact about everything that happens on earth: the same fate awaits everyone. In addition to this, the hearts of all people are full of evil, and there is folly in their hearts during their lives– then they die.

  • Ps 39:6
    71%

    6Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away.”

  • Jer 22:13
    71%

    13Judgment on Jehoiakim“‘Sure to be judged is the king who builds his palace using injustice and treats people unfairly while adding its upper rooms. He makes his countrymen work for him for nothing. He does not pay them for their labor.

  • Job 20:18
    71%

    18He gives back the ill-gotten gain without assimilating it; he will not enjoy the wealth from his commerce.

  • Ps 62:10
    71%

    10Do not trust in what you can gain by oppression! Do not put false confidence in what you can gain by robbery! If wealth increases, do not become attached to it!

  • Jer 17:11
    71%

    11The person who gathers wealth by unjust means is like the partridge that broods over eggs but does not hatch them. Before his life is half over he will lose his ill-gotten gains. At the end of his life it will be clear he was a fool.”

  • Prov 28:6
    71%

    6A poor person who walks in his integrity is better than one who is perverse in his ways even though he is rich.

  • Job 27:19
    71%

    19He goes to bed wealthy, but will do so no more. When he opens his eyes, it is all gone.