Psalms 39:6
Surely people go through life as mere ghosts. Surely they accumulate worthless wealth without knowing who will eventually haul it away.”
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Referenced Verses
- Eccl 2:26 : 26 For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth– only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile– like chasing the wind!
- Luke 12:20-21 : 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.”
- 1 Cor 7:31 : 31 those who use the world as though they were not using it to the full. For the present shape of this world is passing away.
- Jas 4:14 : 14 You do not know about tomorrow. What is your life like? For you are a puff of smoke that appears for a short time and then vanishes.
- Eccl 5:14 : 14 Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.
- Job 27:16-17 : 16 If he piles up silver like dust and stores up clothing like mounds of clay, 17 what he stores up a righteous man will wear, and an innocent man will inherit his silver.
- Ps 49:10-11 : 10 Surely one sees that even wise people die; fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away and leave their wealth to others. 11 Their grave becomes their permanent residence, their eternal dwelling place. They name their lands after themselves,
- Ps 127:2 : 2 It is vain for you to rise early, come home late, and work so hard for your food. Yes, he provides for those whom he loves even when they sleep.
- Prov 13:22 : 22 A good person leaves an inheritance for his grandchildren, but the wealth of a sinner is stored up for the righteous.
- Prov 23:5 : 5 When you gaze upon riches, they are gone, for they surely make wings for themselves, and fly off into the sky like an eagle!
- Prov 27:24 : 24 for riches do not last forever, nor does a crown last from generation to generation.
- Eccl 1:14 : 14 I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile– like chasing the wind!
- Eccl 2:8 : 8 I also amassed silver and gold for myself, as well as valuable treasures taken from kingdoms and provinces. I acquired male singers and female singers for myself, and what gives a man sensual delight– a harem of beautiful concubines!
- Eccl 2:17-21 : 17 So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile– like chasing the wind. 18 Futility of Being a Workaholic So I loathed all the fruit of my effort, for which I worked so hard on earth, because I must leave it behind in the hands of my successor. 19 Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so wisely on earth! This also is futile! 20 So I began to despair about all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so hard on earth. 21 For 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!
- Eccl 6:11-12 : 11 The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him? 12 For no one knows what is best for a person during his life– during the few days of his fleeting life– for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.
- Eccl 12:8 : 8 Concluding Refrain: Qoheleth Restates His Thesis“Absolutely futile!” laments the Teacher,“All of these things are futile!”
- Eccl 12:13 : 13 Having heard everything, I have reached this conclusion: Fear God and keep his commandments, because this is the whole duty of man.
- Isa 55:2 : 2 Why pay money for something that will not nourish you? Why spend your hard-earned money on something that will not satisfy? Listen carefully to me and eat what is nourishing! Enjoy fine food!
- Luke 10:40-42 : 40 But Martha was distracted with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said,“Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her,“Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the best part; it will not be taken away from her.”
- Luke 12:29 : 29 So do not be overly concerned about what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things.
- Eccl 4:7-8 : 7 Labor Motivated by Greed So I again considered another futile thing on earth: 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!
- Jas 5:3 : 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!
- 1 Pet 1:24 : 24 For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of the grass; the grass withers and the flower falls off,
- 1 Pet 5:7 : 7 by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you.
Similar Verses (AI)
These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.
- Eccl 6:11-122 verses80%
11 The more one argues with words, the less he accomplishes. How does that benefit him?
12 For no one knows what is best for a person during his life– during the few days of his fleeting life– for they pass away like a shadow. Nor can anyone tell him what the future will hold for him on earth.
- 79%
5 Look, you make my days short-lived, and my life span is nothing from your perspective. Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor.(Selah)
- 77%
4 People are like a vapor, their days like a shadow that disappears.
- Eccl 6:1-22 verses76%
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.
- Ps 62:9-102 verses76%
9 Men are nothing but a mere breath; human beings are unreliable. When they are weighed in the scales, all of them together are lighter than air.
10 Do 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!
- Eccl 6:7-93 verses76%
7 All of man’s labor is for nothing more than to fill his stomach– yet his appetite is never satisfied!
8 So what advantage does a wise man have over a fool? And what advantage does a pauper gain by knowing how to survive?
9 It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one’s heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile– like chasing the wind.
- 75%
11 Wealth gained quickly will dwindle away, but the one who gathers it little by little will become rich.
- 75%
16 There is no end to all the people nor to the past generations, yet future generations will not rejoice in him. This also is profitless and like chasing the wind.
- Eccl 2:21-233 verses75%
21 For 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!
22 Painful Days and Restless Nights What does a man acquire from all his labor and from the anxiety that accompanies his toil on earth?
23 For all day long his work produces pain and frustration, and even at night his mind cannot relax! This also is futile!
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6 They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
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8 Concluding Refrain: Qoheleth Restates His Thesis“Absolutely futile!” laments the Teacher,“All of these things are futile!”
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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!
- 75%
19 Who knows if he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over all the fruit of my labor for which I worked so wisely on earth! This also is futile!
- Eccl 5:14-163 verses75%
14 Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.
15 Just as he came forth from his mother’s womb, naked will he return as he came, and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil.
16 This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?
- Eccl 1:2-32 verses75%
2 Introduction: Utter Futility“Futile! Futile!” laments the Teacher,“Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!”
3 Futility Illustrated from Nature What benefit do people get from all the effort which they expend on earth?
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11 Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded:“All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless– like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth.”
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7 There is one who pretends to be rich and yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor and yet possesses great wealth.
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7 But now, O Lord, upon what am I relying? You are my only hope!
- Eccl 5:10-112 verses74%
10 Covetousness 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.
11 When 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?
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29 Look, all of them are nothing, their accomplishments are nonexistent; their metal images lack any real substance.
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26 For to the one who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy, but to the sinner, he gives the task of amassing wealth– only to give it to the one who pleases God. This task of the wicked is futile– like chasing the wind!
- 73%
19 He goes to bed wealthy, but will do so no more. When he opens his eyes, it is all gone.
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14 I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile– like chasing the wind!
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8 So, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all, but let him remember that the days of darkness will be many– all that is about to come is obscure.
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4 Labor Motivated by Envy Then I considered all the skillful work that is done: Surely it is nothing more than competition between one person and another. This also is profitless– like chasing the wind.
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4 Though the stillborn child came into the world for no reason and departed into darkness, though its name is shrouded in darkness,
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11 You severely discipline people for their sins; like a moth you slowly devour their strength. Surely all people are a mere vapor.(Selah)
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7 “Look, here is the man who would not make God his protector! He trusted in his great wealth and was confident about his plans to destroy others.”
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4 Do not wear yourself out to become rich; be wise enough to restrain yourself.
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7 Surely no one knows the future, and no one can tell another person what will happen.
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11 The 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.”
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47 Take note of my brief lifespan! Why do you make all people so mortal?
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22 So I perceived there is nothing better than for people to enjoy their work, because that is their reward; for who can show them what the future holds?
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19 Would your wealth sustain you, so that you would not be in distress, even all your mighty efforts?
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6 The Proud Babylonians Are as Good as Dead“But all these nations will someday taunt him and ridicule him with proverbial sayings:‘Woe to the one who accumulates what does not belong to him(How long will this go on?)– he who gets rich by extortion!’
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9 Man is Ignorant of God’s Timing What benefit can a worker gain from his toil?
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17 So I loathed life because what happens on earth seems awful to me; for all the benefits of wisdom are futile– like chasing the wind.
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31 Let him not trust in what is worthless, deceiving himself; for worthlessness will be his reward.
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17 then I discerned all that God has done: No one really comprehends what happens on earth. Despite all human efforts to discover it, no one can ever grasp it. Even if a wise person claimed that he understood, he would not really comprehend it.