Ecclesiastes 5:17

New International Reader's Version

All their lives they eat in darkness. Their lives are full of trouble, suffering and anger.

Cross References

Genesis 3:17

The Lord God said to Adam, “You listened to your wife’s suggestion. You ate fruit from the tree I warned you about. I said, ‘You must not eat its fruit.’ “So I am putting a curse on the ground because of what you did. All the days of your life you will have to work hard. It will be painful for you to get food from the ground.

1 Kings 17:12

“I don’t have any bread,” she replied. “And that’s just as sure as the Lord your God is alive. All I have is a small amount of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I’m gathering a few sticks to take home. I’ll make one last meal for myself and my son. We’ll eat it. After that, we’ll die.”

2 Kings 1:2

Ahaziah had fallen through the window of his upstairs room in Samaria. He had hurt himself. So he sent messengers to ask the god named Baal-Zebub for advice. Baal-Zebub was the god of the city of Ekron. Ahaziah said to the messengers, “Go and ask Baal-Zebub whether I will get well again.”

2 Kings 1:6

“A man met us on our way there,” they replied. “He said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you. Tell him, “The Lord says, ‘You are sending messengers to ask Baal-Zebub for advice. He is the god of Ekron. Are you going there to pray to that god? Do you think there is no God in Israel? You will never leave the bed you are lying on. You can be sure that you will die!’ ” ’ ”

2 Kings 5:27

You and your children after you will have Naaman’s skin disease forever.” Then Gehazi left Elisha. And he had Naaman’s skin disease. His skin had become as white as snow.

Job 21:25

Others die while their spirits are bitter. They’ve never enjoyed anything good.

Psalm 102:9

I eat ashes as my food. My tears fall into what I’m drinking.

Psalm 127:2

It’s useless for you to work from early morning until late at night just to get food to eat. God provides for those he loves even while they sleep.

Psalm 39:6

People are only shadows as they go here and there. They rush around, but it doesn’t mean anything. They pile up wealth, but they don’t know who will finally get it.

Psalm 78:33

So he brought their days to an end like a puff of smoke. He ended their years with terror.

Ecclesiastes 2:10

I gave myself everything my eyes wanted. There wasn’t any pleasure that I refused to give myself. I took delight in everything I did. And that was what I got for all my work.

Ecclesiastes 2:23

As long as they live, their work is nothing but pain and sorrow. Even at night their minds can’t rest. That doesn’t have any meaning either.

Ecclesiastes 2:24

A person can’t do anything better than eat, drink and be satisfied with their work. I’m finally seeing that those things also come from the hand of God.

Ecclesiastes 7:14

When times are good, be happy. But when times are bad, here’s something to think about. God has made bad times. He has also made good times. So no one can find out anything about what’s ahead for them.

Acts 12:23

Right away an angel of the Lord struck Herod down. Herod had not given praise to God. So he was eaten by worms and died.