Ecclesiastes 5 · Verse 16

Ecclesiastes 5:16

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?
Ecclesiastes 5:16, King James Version

Ecclesiastes 5:16 in other translations

BSBThis 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?
WEBThis 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?
ASVAnd 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?
YLTAnd this also is a painful evil, just as he came, so he goeth, and what advantage is to him who laboureth for wind?
DARBYAnd this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came so doth he go away, and what profit hath he, in having laboured for the wind?
BBEAnd this again is a great evil, that in all points as he came so will he go; and what profit has he in working for the wind?
WebsterAnd 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?

What does Ecclesiastes 5:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Even supposing that he loses not his wealth before death, then at least he must go stripped of it all (Psa 49:17). laboured for the wind--(Ho 12:1; 1Co 9:26).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Ecclesiastes 5:9-17

The goodness of Providence is more equally distributed than appears to a careless observer. The king needs the common things of life, and the poor share them; they relish their morsel better than he does his luxuries. There are bodily desires which silver itself will not satisfy, much less will worldly abundance satisfy spiritual desires. The more men have, the better house they must keep, the more servants they…

Read the full comment on Ecclesiastes 5:9-17 →

Ecclesiastes 5:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְגַם\־ve.gam-and alsoH1571
זֹה֙zohthisH2090
רָעָ֣הra.'Ah[is] an evilH7451
חוֹלָ֔הcho.LahsevereH2470
כָּל\־kol-likeH3605
עֻמַּ֥ת'u.Matexactly asH5980
שֶׁבָּ֖אshe.Ba'[that] which <he> cameH935
כֵּ֣ןkensoH3651
יֵלֵ֑ךְye.Lekhhe will goH1980
וּמַה\־u.mah-and what?H4100
יִּתְר֣וֹןyit.Ron[is the] profitH3504
ל֔וֹlo[belongs] to <the> him
שֶֽׁיַּעֲמֹ֖לshei.ya.'a.Molthat he will toilH5998
לָרֽוּחַ\׃la.Ru.achfor the windH7307

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Ecclesiastes 5:16

  • Proverbs 11:29

    He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

  • Ecclesiastes 1:3

    What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

  • Mark 8:36

    For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

  • 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.

  • John 6:27

    Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

  • Hosea 8:7

    For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it hath no stalk: the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.

  • 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.

  • 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? For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.

  • 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.

  • 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
a sore.
13; 2:22,23
what.
1Sa 12:21; Jer 2:8; Mr 8:36
for.
1:3; Pr 11:29; Isa 26:18; Ho 8:7; Joh 6:27

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Ecclesiastes 5:15

    As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

  • Ecclesiastes 5:16

    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?

  • Ecclesiastes 5:17

    All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

Read all of Ecclesiastes 5

Ecclesiastes 5:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Este también es un gran mal, que como vino, así haya de volver. ¿Y de qué le aprovechó trabajar al viento?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il mange aussi tous les jours de sa vie dans les ténèbres et se chagrine beaucoup, et est malade et irrité.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und auch dies ist ein schlimmes Übel: ganz so wie er gekommen ist, also wird er hingehen; und was für einen Gewinn hat er davon, daß er in den Wind sich müht?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		cunctis diebus vitæ suæ comedit in tenebris, et in curis multis, et in ærumna atque tristitia.