Ecclesiastes 5 10

Ecclesiastes 5:10 kjv

He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 nkjv

He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 niv

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 esv

He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 nlt

Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!

Ecclesiastes 5 verses

Ecclesiastes 5 10 Meaning

Ecclesiastes 5:10 observes the inherent futility in an insatiable desire for material possessions. It states that anyone whose heart is set on money or abundance will never find true satisfaction through acquiring it. The relentless pursuit of more wealth—whether in currency or general income—only perpetuates an unfulfilled longing, demonstrating that material gain is an insufficient source of lasting contentment. Qoheleth, the Preacher, concludes this perpetual state of dissatisfaction and desire as "vanity," signifying its emptiness, fleetingness, and ultimate lack of enduring value or meaning in human life.

Ecclesiastes 5 10 Context

Ecclesiastes 5:10 is situated within Qoheleth’s broader observations on various aspects of life "under the sun," emphasizing human striving and its often-futile outcomes. Preceding this verse, Qoheleth has cautioned against careless worship (5:1-7) and lamented the prevalence of oppression and injustice within societal structures (5:8-9), noting that even a chain of oppressive figures does not bring an end to the problems. This verse naturally flows from such observations, illustrating another realm of human pursuit—wealth—that, when loved for its own sake, also fails to provide the expected fulfillment. It serves as a transition into further critiques of the downsides of wealth, such as increased worry, inability to truly enjoy riches, and the certainty that wealth cannot accompany one beyond death (5:11-17). Historically, ancient Israel, especially during eras of prosperity like Solomon's reign, faced the challenges of material accumulation and its potential to divert hearts from God, making this a relevant instruction for its original audience and indeed for all generations.

Ecclesiastes 5 10 Word analysis

• He who loves: (Heb. אֹהֵב, ohev). From the root אהב (ahav), meaning "to love." Here, it signifies more than just a preference; it denotes a strong, persistent affection, deep desire, or even obsession. The verb is in the participle form, indicating a continuous state or characteristic. This love is often possessive and singular in focus, turning the object of affection into an idol.
• money: (Heb. כֶּסֶף, keseph). Literally "silver," which was the common medium of exchange and standard for monetary value in the ancient world. It refers generally to wealth, currency, and any form of financial asset.
• will not be satisfied: (Heb. לֹא יִשְׂבַּע, lo yisba'). Lo is a negation ("not"), and yisba' comes from the root שָׂבַע (saba'), meaning "to be full, to be sated, to be satisfied." It conveys the idea of having enough, reaching a point of contentment where further input is neither desired nor needed. The negation indicates an perpetually unreached state.
• with money: (Heb. כֶּסֶף, keseph). Repeating the same term emphasizes the direct, circular, and ultimately self-defeating nature of the pursuit: the very thing one loves and seeks to acquire fails to bring its promised satisfaction.
• nor he who loves: (Heb. וּמִי אֹהֵב, u'mi ohev). "And who loves." The implied negative and verb "will not be satisfied" are carried over from the first clause by parallelism.
• wealth: (Heb. בֶּהָמוֹן, b'hamon). This includes "multitude," "abundance," "a great amount of possessions or riches." It refers to the overall accumulated possessions, assets, or substantial quantity of goods. This extends the scope beyond mere currency to a more generalized form of prosperity.
• with his income: (Heb. תְּבוּאָה, tevu'ah). This word means "produce," "yield," "harvest," "gain," or "increase." It refers to revenue, profits, or what one earns from their labor or investments. This phrase highlights that even a steady, continuous stream of wealth does not satisfy the individual whose love is set on abundance. The desire for more outweighs any amount of current gain.
• this also: (Heb. גַּם זֶה, gam zeh). "Also this," linking this observation to others made throughout the book, indicating a recurring theme of futility.
• is vanity: (Heb. הֶבֶל, hevel). The cardinal word of Ecclesiastes, often translated as "vanity," "emptiness," "futility," or "meaningless." It describes something ephemeral, fleeting, like vapor or breath—unsubstantial and unable to be grasped, leaving one ultimately unfulfilled despite effort.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "He who loves money... will not be satisfied with money": This phrase succinctly presents the central paradox. The intense devotion to acquiring money inevitably leads to an endless, unfulfilled craving for more money. The object of the love is precisely what disappoints by failing to provide true contentment. It describes a treadmill effect where increased acquisition only heightens, rather than satiates, desire.
• "nor he who loves wealth with his income": This expands the scope from static "money" to the dynamic concept of accumulating "wealth" and its continuous "income" or revenue. Even the constant influx of riches, driven by an inherent "love" for abundance, is similarly impotent to fill the void. The pursuit itself becomes a trap of dissatisfaction, proving that the problem lies not in the amount of wealth, but in the orientation of the heart towards it.
• "this also is vanity": Qoheleth's signature declaration underscores that this pattern of insatiable material desire and resulting emptiness is not an anomaly but a fundamental aspect of human existence when sought "under the sun." It is unsubstantial, fleeting, and devoid of ultimate meaning or lasting value, contributing to the overall sense of frustration in a life lived apart from divine wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 5 10 Bonus section

• The wisdom of this verse stands in stark contrast to prevailing worldly philosophies that equate success and happiness primarily with financial prosperity and material gain. Qoheleth argues the inverse: obsessive love for such things leads not to satisfaction but to an enduring lack thereof.
• This verse provides an early, incisive critique of what modern psychology identifies as the "hedonic treadmill" or "hedonic adaptation," where individuals quickly adjust to new levels of stimuli (including wealth), causing the initial boost in happiness to fade and the desire for more to return.
• While some English translations might imply a contrast (e.g., "will not be satisfied with his income" as opposed to without), the Hebrew structure is elliptical, reinforcing the parallel idea: "nor will he who loves abundance be satisfied with income." The inherent deficiency is in the love of the abundance itself.
• The Hebrew hevel ("vanity") often carries connotations beyond mere emptiness, suggesting something enigmatic, beyond human grasp, and ultimately frustrating in its ephemerality. The pursuit of wealth as the summum bonum of life is precisely this: a vapor, seemingly solid but impossible to hold onto permanently.

Ecclesiastes 5 10 Commentary

Ecclesiastes 5:10 penetrates to the heart of human discontent by diagnosing the deceptive nature of avarice. Qoheleth profoundly reveals that setting one's affection (the "love") on material possessions, whether a specific sum of "money" or a general "abundance" and its "income," is a fundamentally flawed pursuit because the very objects of this love are incapable of delivering genuine or lasting "satisfaction." This is not merely an observation about human greed, but a theological statement about misplacing one's ultimate hope and joy in created things rather than the Creator. The "love" described implies an idolization, making wealth an ultimate end rather than a resource to be managed or enjoyed. Consequently, the pursuit creates a perpetual void; the more one acquires, the more the underlying desire intensifies, rather than diminishes, resulting in a continuous state of wanting rather than having enough. The repetitive language—money for money, wealth for income—emphasizes this self-perpetuating, unrewarding cycle. For Qoheleth, this entire endeavor falls squarely under the rubric of "vanity," signifying its ultimate emptiness, lack of purpose, and inability to bring true meaning or lasting fulfillment in life. It's a solemn warning against believing that happiness can be bought or that accumulating more will ever be enough.

• Example: Imagine a person dedicating their entire life to accumulating luxury items, from mansions to private jets. Each new acquisition provides a temporary thrill, but the underlying craving quickly returns, prompting the desire for the next upgrade or status symbol. This continuous chase, despite immense material success, never grants true peace or lasting contentment.