Ecclesiastes 5:16

World English Bible (2000)

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?

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

  • Prov 11:29 : 29 He who troubles his own house shall inherit the wind. The foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.
  • Eccl 1:3 : 3 What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?
  • Eccl 2:22-23 : 22 For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun? 23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.
  • Eccl 5:13 : 13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.
  • Isa 26:18 : 18 We have been with child. We have been in pain. We gave birth, it seems, only to wind. We have not worked any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen.
  • Jer 2:8 : 8 The priests didn't say, 'Where is Yahweh?' and those who handle the law didn't know me. The rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
  • Hos 8:7 : 7 For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
  • Mark 8:36 : 36 For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?
  • John 6:27 : 27 Don't work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him."
  • 1 Sam 12:21 : 21 Don't turn aside; for [then you would go] after vain things which can't profit nor deliver, for they are vain.

Similar Verses (AI)

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

  • Eccl 5:13-15
    3 verses
    87%

    13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.

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

    15 As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.

  • Eccl 1:2-3
    2 verses
    82%

    2 "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher; "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."

    3 What does man gain from all his labor in which he labors under the sun?

  • Eccl 2:17-24
    8 verses
    80%

    17 So I hated life, because the work that is worked under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

    18 I hated all my labor in which I labored under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who comes after me.

    19 Who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have rule over all of my labor in which I have labored, and in which I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is vanity.

    20 Therefore I began to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labor in which I had labored under the sun.

    21 For there is a man whose labor is with wisdom, with knowledge, and with skillfulness; yet he shall leave it for his portion to a man who has not labored for it. This also is vanity and a great evil.

    22 For what has a man of all his labor, and of the striving of his heart, in which he labors under the sun?

    23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail is grief; yes, even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.

    24 There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.

  • Eccl 5:17-18
    2 verses
    80%

    17 All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.

    18 Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

  • Eccl 4:16
    79%

    16 There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was--yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Eccl 2:11
    79%

    11 Then I looked at all the works that my hands had worked, and at the labor that I had labored to do; and behold, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

  • Eccl 3:9
    79%

    9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?

  • Eccl 6:1-9
    9 verses
    79%

    1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy on men:

    2 a man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.

    3 If a man fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial; I say, that a stillborn child is better than he:

    4 for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.

    5 Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.

    6 Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don't all go to one place?

    7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.

    8 For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?

    9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Eccl 4:3-4
    2 verses
    77%

    3 Yes, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.

    4 Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man's neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

  • Eccl 4:7-8
    2 verses
    77%

    7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.

    8 There is one who is alone, and he has neither son nor brother. There is no end to all of his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with wealth. "For whom then, do I labor, and deprive my soul of enjoyment?" This also is vanity. Yes, it is a miserable business.

  • Eccl 1:14
    76%

    14 I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and behold, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Eccl 1:5-6
    2 verses
    76%

    5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hurries to its place where it rises.

    6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north. It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.

  • Eccl 6:11-12
    2 verses
    76%

    11 For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?

    12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?

  • Eccl 12:8
    75%

    8 "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher. "All is vanity!"

  • Eccl 3:22
    75%

    22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works; for that is his portion: for who can bring him to see what will be after him?

  • Eccl 9:3
    75%

    3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one event to all: yes also, the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.

  • Eccl 3:19-20
    2 verses
    75%

    19 For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals: for all is vanity.

    20 All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.

  • Eccl 2:26
    74%

    26 For to the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.

  • Eccl 8:14
    74%

    14 There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.

  • Job 14:2
    74%

    2 He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down. He also flees like a shadow, and doesn't continue.

  • Ps 39:6
    74%

    6 "Surely every man walks like a shadow. Surely they busy themselves in vain. He heaps up, and doesn't know who shall gather.

  • Eccl 11:8
    74%

    8 Yes, if a man lives many years, let him rejoice in them all; but let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

  • Eccl 8:10
    73%

    10 So I saw the wicked buried. Indeed they came also from holiness. They went and were forgotten in the city where they did this. This also is vanity.

  • Eccl 8:17
    73%

    17 then I saw all the work of God, that man can't find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won't find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won't be able to find it.

  • Ps 103:16
    73%

    16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone. Its place remembers it no more.

  • Eccl 9:10
    72%

    10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol, where you are going.