The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 5:14 Explained

Ecclesiastes 5:14

KJV: But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

YLT: And that wealth hath been lost in an evil business, and he hath begotten a son and there is nothing in his hand!

Darby: or those riches perish by some evil circumstance, and if he have begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

ASV: and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But those riches  perish  by evil  travail:  and he begetteth  a son,  and [there is] nothing  in his hand. 

What does Ecclesiastes 5:14 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 5

1  vanities in divine service
8  in murmuring against oppression
9  and in riches
18  Joy in riches is the gift of God

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 5:14 mean?

But perishes wealth that through misfortune by evil and when he begets a son and [there is] nothing in his hand -
וְאָבַ֛ד הָעֹ֥שֶׁר הַה֖וּא בְּעִנְיַ֣ן רָ֑ע וְהוֹלִ֣יד בֵּ֔ן וְאֵ֥ין בְּיָד֖וֹ מְאֽוּמָה

וְאָבַ֛ד  But  perishes 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָבַד  
Sense: perish, vanish, go astray, be destroyed.
הָעֹ֥שֶׁר  wealth 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹשֶׁר  
Sense: wealth, riches.
הַה֖וּא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
בְּעִנְיַ֣ן  through  misfortune 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עִנְיָן  
Sense: occupation, task, job.
רָ֑ע  by  evil 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
וְהוֹלִ֣יד  and  when  he  begets 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
בֵּ֔ן  a  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וְאֵ֥ין  and  [there  is]  nothing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
בְּיָד֖וֹ  in  his  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
מְאֽוּמָה    - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מְאוּמָה  
Sense: anything.