Ecclesiastes 5:12

"The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much. But the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep."

Points To Note:

1 Riches also bring anxiety. Those who have nothing to lose aren't going to be anxious about losing it. So the man who lives from paycheck to paycheck will eat little if he has little that night or much he has much that night. On the other hand, the covetous man, far from being happy and content, never has any rest, day or night. "He loses sleep (Ecclesiastes 5:12) worrying about the extra point of interest he could be getting on his riches if he had only moved it 'over there'" (Posey p. 38). 2. Kidner makes the following comment: "Whatever discomforts the labourer puts up with, this will not be one of them; and whatever burdens were laid on Adam at the Fall, there was. rough mercy in the sentence, 'In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread'. We offer an unconscious comment on it by our modern exercise-machines and health clubs-for it is one of our human absurdities to pour out money and effort just to undo the damage of money and ease" (p. 56) 3. The above demonstrates that we can really become the slaves of what we own. When wealth and things are keeping us from having even. good night's rest-then who is serving who? 4. We also see that the materialist isn't even able to enjoy. good meal-for all his worrying has typically given him various stomach problems. What's the profit in striving for material possessions, if by the time you reach the point you can afford to eat the finest steaks, your stomach or health won't allow it?