10 He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is [n]vanity. 11 When good things increase, those who consume them increase. So what is the advantage to their owners except to [o]look on? 12 The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the [p]full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: riches being [q]hoarded by their owner to his hurt. 14 When those riches were lost through [r]a bad investment and he had fathered a son, then there was nothing [s]to support him. 15 As he had come naked from his mother’s womb, so will he return as he came. He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand. 16 This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man [t]is born, thus will he [u]die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind? 17 Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen to be good and [v]fitting: to eat, to drink and [w]enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few [x]years of his life which God has given him; for this is his [y]reward. 19 Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his [z]reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. 20 For he will not often [aa]consider the [ab]years of his life, because God keeps [ac]him occupied with the gladness of his heart.
It’s a strange thing, how difficult it is to satisfy our flesh. It doesn’t just happen with money or a good harvest, like Solomon describes, but our appetites seem to grow as we get the things we desire. We think we know what we want, and Solomon isn’t even talking about anything bad here in v. 11. When good things increase, so does our consumption!
In abundance, there is a great danger, to worry about losing what one has gained (vv. 12-13). One can easily fret, should I hoard it under the mattress, or invest in this great new opportunity? So many options, and what if I pick the wrong one! Saving is important, especially when one has a goal in mind, like a need that is coming quickly.
But like most things, there is a balance to be had. Solomon doesn’t cover this here, but God tells us to give many times in his Word. That alone can help with the tendency to hoard things. Do not hold on too tightly, lest you lose it anyway (v. 14). There is another important thing though, and some would call it foolishness.
In v. 18, Solomon tells us what we ought to do. Though it isn’t our only reward, we ought not to focus exclusively on saving and giving, or our work will become a drudgery. Solomon found that we should “eat, drink, and be merry.” If we can’t do that, then we are in a sad state. Everything we gain this side of Heaven is temporal and fleeting.
Once more, do not hold on too tightly, but take the opportunity to “rejoice in your labor” for it is a gift from God. If we don’t recognize that, then we’re likely to look a lot like v. 17. When we follow God, we are always better off than we deserve, both spiritually and materially. Keeping a proper mindset in regards to our material blessings is difficult, but “God will keep us occupied with the gladness of our heart.” And that’s worth more than any sum we could earn on this earth!