17 All his days ahe also eats in darkness, And hehas much sorrow and sickness and anger.
18 Here is what I have seen: aItis good and fitting forone to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; bfor it is his heritage.
19 As for aevery man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his1 heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the bgift of God.
20 For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.
As Ecclesiastes 5:18 refers to the "laboring" man (Ecclesiastes 5:12), so Ecclesiastes 5:19 to the "rich" man, who gets wealth not by "oppression" (Ecclesiastes 5:8), but by "God's gift." He is distinguished also from the "rich" man (Ecclesiastes 6:2) in having received by God's gift not only "wealth," but also "power to eat thereof," which that one has not.
to take his portion—limits him to the lawful use of wealth, not keeping back from God His portion while enjoying his own.
Other Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown entries containing Ecclesiastes 5:19:
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