Eclesiastés 5:12-13 NVI

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:12

Labouring man - Not a slave (Septuagint), but everyone who, according to the divine direction, earns his bread in the sweat of his brow. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 5:12

Ecclesiastes 5:12. The sleep of a labouring man is sweet Because he is free from those cares and fears wherewith the minds of rich men are often distracted, and their sleep disturbed; whether he eat little For his weariness disposes him to sleep; or much In which case his healthful constitution, and laborious course of life, prevent those crudities and indigestions which ofttimes break the sleep of rich men: but the abundance of the rich Hebrew, השׂבע , the fullness, either, 1st, Of... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ecclesiastes 5:13-14

Ecclesiastes 5:13-14. There is a sore evil, &c. “There is another thing, which is very calamitous, and may rather be called a grievous plague than a mere affliction; that these very treasures, which men have heaped up with a great deal of care, from thence expecting their felicity, prove, in the issue, their utter undoing;” being incentives to pride, luxury, and other hurtful lusts, which waste their bodies, shorten their lives, and destroy their souls; and being also great temptations... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Ecclesiastes 5:8-20

Advice about money (5:8-6:12)Greed for money is a common social evil and the cause of much suffering. Because of such greed, government officials exploit poor farmers. Each official makes sure he takes as much money as he can, so that after he has passed some of it on to those above him who protect him, he has enough left for himself. As for the farmers, besides losing their profits to corrupt officials, they must also give some of their harvest as a tax to the king (8-9).Prosperity does not... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ecclesiastes 5:12

to sleep = to sleep soundly. read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Ecclesiastes 5:13

under the sun. See note on Ecclesiastes 1:3 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:13

THE VANITY OF WEALTH ITSELF"There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt: and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand. 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. And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:12

Ecclesiastes 5:12. The sleep of a labouring man, &c.— The sixth and last instance, wherewith this fourth proof, and the whole argument in support of the first proposition, is concluded, is that of the insufficiency of riches to make a man happy, whether he loves money for the sake of money, or is fond of it only as it affords him opportunities of spending it in feasts and entertainments; Ecclesiastes 5:10. This is made the more conspicuous by the opposite instance of the poor labourer.... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:13

Ecclesiastes 5:13. There is a sore evil— There is an aggravation of evil: see Ecc 5:16 and ch. Ecclesiastes 6:2. This verse contains the second general proposition. Earthly goods, and whatever we can acquire by our utmost trouble and labour in this world, are so far from making us lastingly happy, that they may be looked upon even as real obstacles to our ease, quiet, and tranquillity. The proofs of this proposition we here subjoin, in the same analytical manner as on ch. Ecclesiastes 1:2-3.... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Ecclesiastes 5:12

12. Another argument against anxiety to gain riches. "Sleep . . . sweet" answers to "quietness" (Ecclesiastes 4:6); "not suffer . . . sleep," to "vexation of spirit." Fears for his wealth, and an overloaded stomach without "laboring" (compare Ecclesiastes 4:5), will not suffer the rich oppressor to sleep. read more