Ecclesiastes 5:11 Meaning and Explanation
“When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →As wealth grows, so do the mouths and demands that consume it, leaving the owner little but the sight of it.
What Does Ecclesiastes 5:11 Mean?
The Preacher presses further into the hollowness of accumulation. Greater wealth brings greater obligations: more dependents, more servants, more hands reaching for a share.
In the end the owner mostly looks on at his abundance, gaining the strain of managing it more than any deep enjoyment of it. Possessions multiply care along with comfort. The observation invites a freer way to live: to hold what we have with open hands, neither despising it nor leaning our hearts upon it, knowing that true riches are not measured by what fills the eye.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ecclesiastes 5:11
What does Ecclesiastes 5:11 mean?
As wealth grows, so do the mouths and demands that consume it, leaving the owner little but the sight of it.