Ecclesiastes 5:10 Meaning and Explanation
“He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The Context of Ecclesiastes 5:10
Within a passage on the burdens of riches, the Preacher exposes the futility of greed and the unrest that follows those who set their hearts on wealth.
What Does Ecclesiastes 5:10 Mean?
This verse means that the love of money can never be filled, because the desire grows faster than any amount you gain. The person who loves silver always wants more silver; the one who loves abundance is never satisfied by increase. The appetite itself expands, so each acquisition only widens the hunger it was meant to fill. The Preacher labels this restless cycle "vanity," another fleeting pursuit that promises rest and delivers craving.
The danger he names is the love of money, the inner posture that makes wealth the heart's treasure. Such love is a thirst that drinking only deepens. The verses around it add that more goods bring more mouths to feed and more worry to steal sleep, while the laborer with little sleeps sweetly. The way out is contentment, learning to receive what we have as enough and as a gift. When the heart's hunger is turned toward God rather than gain, it finds the satisfaction that no amount of silver could ever supply.
Ecclesiastes 5:10 in the Original Language
The verb yisba (יִשְׂבַּע), "shall be satisfied," describes being full or sated; the verse declares this fullness forever out of reach for the lover of money.
Bible Verses Related to Ecclesiastes 5:10
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”
- 1 Timothy 6:10
“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
- Hebrews 13:5
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
- Matthew 6:24
How to Apply Ecclesiastes 5:10 Today
Examine where your heart says "just a little more," and practice gratitude for what you already have as the cure for a hunger money cannot fill.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 5:10
What does Ecclesiastes 5:10 mean?
This verse means that the love of money can never be filled, because the desire grows faster than any amount you gain. The person who loves silver always wants more silver; the one who loves abundance is never satisfied by increase. The appetite itself expands, so each acquisition only widens the hunger it was meant to fill. The Preacher labels this restless cycle "vanity," another fleeting pursuit that promises rest and delivers craving.
What is the context of Ecclesiastes 5:10?
Within a passage on the burdens of riches, the Preacher exposes the futility of greed and the unrest that follows those who set their hearts on wealth.
How can I apply Ecclesiastes 5:10 today?
Examine where your heart says "just a little more," and practice gratitude for what you already have as the cure for a hunger money cannot fill.