is never satisfied by money
The Hebrew word for "satisfied" is "שָׂבַע" (sava), which means to be filled or to have enough. The Preacher, traditionally understood to be Solomon, highlights a profound truth: material wealth can never truly fulfill the deepest longings of the human heart. Archaeological findings from ancient Near Eastern cultures reveal that wealth was often seen as a sign of divine favor, yet the wisdom literature of the Bible challenges this notion by emphasizing spiritual contentment over material abundance.

and he who loves wealth
The term "wealth" here is "הוֹן" (hon) in Hebrew, referring to abundance or riches. The love of wealth is portrayed as a parallel to the love of money, suggesting that both are rooted in a desire for more than what is necessary. Scripturally, wealth is not condemned in itself, but the love of it is cautioned against. The historical context of Solomon's reign, a time of great prosperity, serves as a backdrop for this warning, as even the wealthiest king recognized the emptiness of riches without God.

is never satisfied by income
"Income" is translated from the Hebrew "תְּבוּאָה" (tevuah), meaning produce or yield. This suggests that even the continual increase of wealth does not lead to satisfaction. The agricultural metaphor implies that just as crops are harvested seasonally, so too is income expected to grow, yet it still leaves the soul wanting. The biblical narrative often contrasts temporal gains with eternal treasures, urging believers to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).

This too is futile
The word "futile" is "הֶבֶל" (hevel) in Hebrew, often translated as "vanity" or "meaninglessness." It conveys the idea of something transient, like a vapor or breath. Solomon's use of "hevel" throughout Ecclesiastes underscores the temporary nature of worldly pursuits. From a conservative Christian perspective, this futility points believers to the eternal satisfaction found only in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The historical and scriptural context of Ecclesiastes serves as a timeless reminder that true contentment is found not in earthly wealth, but in the riches of God's grace.

"Interea pleno quum forget sacculus ere,
Crescit amor nummi, quantum ipsa pecnnia crevit."
"For as thy strutting bags with money rise,
The love of gain is of an equal size."

(Dryden.) There is much more of similar import in Horace. See 'Carm.,' 2:2. 13, sqq.; 3:16. 17, 28; 'Ep.,' 2:2, 147; an, 1 Ovid, Fast.,' 1:211 -

"Creverunt etopes et opum furiosa cupido,
Et, quum possideant plura, plura volunt."
"As wealth increases grows the frenzied thirst
For wealth; the more they have, the more they want." Nor he that loveth abundance with increase. The Authorized Version scarcely presents the sense of the passage, which is not tautological, but rather that given by the Vulgate, Et qui amat divitias fructum non capiet exeis, "He who loveth abundance of wealth hath no fruit therefrom;" he derives no real profit or enjoyment from the luxury which it enables him to procure; rather it brings added trouble. And so the old conclusion is again reached, this is also vanity. Hitzig takes the sentence as interrogative, "Who hath pleasure in abundance which brings nothing in?" But such questions are hardly in the style of Kohelcth, and the notion of capital without interest is not a thought which would have been then understood. The Septuagint, however, reads the clause interrogatively, Καὶ τίς ἠγάπησεν ἐν πλήθει αὐτῶν (αὐτοῦ, al.) γέννημα; "And who has loved [or, has been content with] gain in its fullness?" But מִי is not necessarily interrogative, but here indefinite, equivalent to "whosoever."

Parallel Commentaries ...