Ecclesiastes 5:15 kjv
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 5:15 nkjv
As he came from his mother's womb, naked shall he return, To go as he came; And he shall take nothing from his labor Which he may carry away in his hand.
Ecclesiastes 5:15 niv
Everyone comes naked from their mother's womb, and as everyone comes, so they depart. They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands.
Ecclesiastes 5:15 esv
As he came from his mother's womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.
Ecclesiastes 5:15 nlt
We all come to the end of our lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day we were born. We can't take our riches with us.
Ecclesiastes 5 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Job 1:21 | "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither..." | Nakedness at birth and death |
| Ps 49:16-17 | "Be not afraid when one becomes rich... For when he dies, he shall carry nothing away..." | Inability to take wealth to grave |
| Ps 39:6 | "Surely every man walks in a vain show... heaping up riches, and knows not who shall gather them." | Futility of hoarding |
| 1 Tim 6:7 | "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." | Explicit NT confirmation of the principle |
| Lk 12:16-21 | Parable of the Rich Fool: "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee..." | Earthly wealth provides no eternal security |
| Ecc 1:3 | "What profit has a man from all his labor which he performs under the sun?" | Broader theme of vanity of earthly toil |
| Ecc 2:18-19 | "Yea, I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun... and who knows whether he shall be a wise man or a fool?" | Uncertainty of legacy of wealth |
| Gen 3:19 | "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground..." | Return to dust, mortality |
| Lk 12:33 | "Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail..." | Invest in heavenly treasures, not earthly |
| Matt 6:19-21 | "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." | Contrast between earthly and heavenly treasures |
| Isa 6:7 | "...then shall the dust return to the earth as it was..." | The body's return to the ground |
| Rev 19:24 | "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." | Danger of material attachment for salvation |
| Jas 4:14 | "whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour..." | Brevity of life and uncertainty of future |
| Heb 4:13 | "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." | Spiritual nakedness before God |
| Ecc 9:10 | "Whatsoever thy hand finds to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you go." | Urgency to live purposefully while alive |
| Ps 49:10 | "For he sees that even wise men die; the fool and the senseless person perish alike, and leave their wealth to others." | Death is universal, wealth is left behind |
| Job 27:8 | "For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when God takes away his soul?" | Wealth cannot save one from God's judgment |
| Hag 1:6 | "You have sown much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough... and he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes." | Futility of acquiring for acquisition's sake |
| Ps 17:14 | "...men of the world, who have their portion in this life..." | Worldly portion contrasted with eternal portion |
| 1 Cor 4:7 | "What do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" | All possessions are given by God |
| Prov 27:24 | "For riches are not forever, nor does a crown endure to all generations." | Wealth is impermanent |
| Ecc 6:12 | "For who knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life..." | Limited human understanding of ultimate good |
| Rev 21:7 | "He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." | True inheritance is spiritual, in God |
Ecclesiastes 5 verses
Ecclesiastes 5 15 Meaning
Ecclesiastes 5:15 powerfully states the inherent inability of humanity to carry material possessions beyond death. It posits a profound truth: just as a person enters the world naked and devoid of anything, so shall they depart, unable to take with them any fruit of their labor. This verse emphasizes the ultimate transience and futility of earthly wealth and possessions when viewed from an eternal perspective, highlighting the universal equality in death regarding material gain.
Ecclesiastes 5 15 Context
Ecclesiastes 5 is part of Koheleth's (the Preacher's) philosophical exploration of life "under the sun"—human existence from a worldly perspective, devoid of direct divine revelation for a fulfilled life. Prior to verse 15, the chapter warns against foolishness in religious vows (v. 1-7), condemns the oppression of the poor by the rich (v. 8), and explicitly critiques the love of money, observing that wealth rarely brings satisfaction but often leads to anxiety, sleeplessness, and sorrow (v. 9-12). It culminates in the observation that accumulated wealth is often lost or, as in this verse, cannot be carried into the afterlife, becoming a curse rather than a blessing. The Preacher is systematically dismantling the popular ancient Near Eastern and general human belief that material prosperity is the ultimate goal or a sign of divine favor that ensures a good life, even after death. The idea that grave goods could accompany one into the afterlife was a common funerary practice, and Koheleth directly counters this illusion, asserting a naked, universal return.
Ecclesiastes 5 15 Word analysis
- "As he came forth": This phrase points to the very beginning of human life, implying the common experience of birth shared by all. It establishes a baseline of utter helplessness and absence of material possession.
- "of his mother's womb": This highlights the biological, universal origin of humanity, making the statement applicable to everyone regardless of status or wealth. There's no exception.
- "naked": The Hebrew word for naked is `arom (עָרֹום). It signifies being stripped of clothing, utterly exposed, and without possessions. In Genesis 2:25, Adam and Eve were naked and unashamed, signifying innocence and vulnerability. Here, it denotes utter destitution upon entering and leaving the world, without adornment or acquired goods.
- "shall he return": This signifies the inevitable conclusion of life, a physical reversal to the origin point—the earth, as alluded to in Genesis 3:19. It speaks to death as a return rather than a forward journey with possessions.
- "to go as he came": This reinforces the symmetry and cyclical nature of birth and death regarding one's material state. There's a perfect parallel: arrival and departure are equally bare. It counters any belief in taking material wealth beyond the grave, implicitly rebuking ancient burial practices that placed goods in tombs.
- "and shall take nothing": This is an emphatic declaration of absolute inability. No portion, no matter how small, of acquired wealth can accompany the deceased.
- "of his labor": This refers to all that a person has striven for, toiled over, accumulated, or produced during their earthly life. It specifically targets the products of one's efforts and investments.
- "which he may carry away in his hand": This final phrase emphasizes the utter impossibility on a tangible, physical level. Even the smallest item that could theoretically be held in one's hand cannot be transported across the threshold of death. The "hand" often symbolizes human capability, possession, or what one can grasp; here, it underscores the limit of that grasp.
- "As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he return": This entire phrase functions as a profound parallel structure, emphasizing the universal experience of humanity. It highlights the foundational vulnerability and equality in both birth and death. The contrast is sharp against human efforts to amass wealth, which prove futile against this divine ordering.
- "shall take nothing of his labor, which he may carry away in his hand": This group of words zeroes in on the practical consequence of death on materialism. It highlights the absolute barrier death creates between a person and their earthly accumulations, underscoring the vanity (`hevel`) of hoarding for future personal enjoyment in an afterlife that does not acknowledge material wealth. It teaches that despite all human effort and skill in gathering, death strips it all away.
Ecclesiastes 5 15 Bonus section
The concept of hevel (often translated as vanity, vapor, or futility) which permeates Ecclesiastes is profoundly embodied in this verse. All human toil for wealth, when viewed through the lens of death, becomes a mere "breath" – something that quickly vanishes and leaves no lasting tangible mark on the individual beyond life. This verse serves as a powerful theological argument against self-sufficiency based on material security and directly challenges the prevailing worldview that life's value is measured by what one gains. It underscores divine sovereignty over life and death, reinforcing that our existence and all its provisions are ultimately gifts, not earned possessions we control into eternity. This truth sets the stage for a humble posture, recognizing our inherent limitations and encouraging a focus on things of true eternal worth, such as righteousness, wisdom from God, and eternal life through Him.
Ecclesiastes 5 15 Commentary
Ecclesiastes 5:15 encapsulates a core theme of Koheleth: the profound vanity of pursuing material wealth as an end in itself. The verse asserts a brutal and universal truth about human mortality and the futility of worldly acquisition from an eternal perspective. From birth, we possess nothing, and to death, we carry nothing. All our diligent labor, all our accumulated riches, remain behind, utterly worthless in the realm beyond the grave. This serves as a stark humbling reminder that ultimate meaning and security cannot be found in possessions or achievements under the sun. Instead, it subtly prompts a re-evaluation of life's true treasures, those that transcend earthly limitations. For practical application, this verse encourages contentment, generosity, wise stewardship of God-given resources (since they are not ours to keep forever), and an urgent focus on what truly lasts—one's relationship with God and others, and obedience to divine instruction, as suggested by the book's concluding remarks.