There is a grievous evil: we have seen already in 2.21 that evil describes a situation not as morally corrupt but as painful to observe. Note New Revised Standard Version “grievous ill.” In verses 13-14 the adjective occurs three times and has the effect of setting the tone for the passage. Qoheleth suggests that the situation he observes is grievous, or “sickening.” Jerusalem Bible uses “singular” to highlight the unusual or remarkable nature of the situation. Whether the situation described is truly unusual is debatable, but Qoheleth says it virtually made him sick to behold. Good News Translation “Here is a terrible thing that…” is acceptable.

Which I have seen under the sun: Qoheleth uses the verb “see” as previously, that is, in the sense of studied observation. See comments on 1.14. For under the sun see comments on 1.3.

Riches were kept by their owner to his hurt: this is the scene that so moved Qoheleth. Riches includes both money and what that money can buy, as in 4.8. Were kept carries the sense of guarding something carefully (see “Guard your steps” and notes on 5.1). The passive form riches were kept is impersonal, and many languages will prefer an active expression. Good News Translation provides a suitable model: “people save up their money.”

By their owner is the generally accepted understanding of this phrase. However, Gordis suggests that these things were kept for the owner. His argument fails, however, when we note that the same expression is used to designate “by” (see, for example, Gen 14.19 “blessed … by God”). The traditional view that these riches are guarded by their owner can stand.

To his hurt marks the result of guarding his riches, as Revised Standard Version shows. Many translations reflect a view that the riches are a source of great anxiety and concern, translating like Revised Standard Version “to his detriment.” So, like the previous example, the rich man loses sleep because he has so much materially. Hurt is the noun raʿah. The same word rendered as evil appears at the beginning of this verse, where we noted that it describes a troublesome situation, not one that is necessarily morally corrupt.

One other possible interpretation can also be considered. The Hebrew preposition rendered as by (le) can also mean “because of” as in Josh 9.9, “… because of the name of the LORD….” If this usage bears any relationship to our situation here, we can suggest that Qoheleth claims that the owner guarded his things “because of his hurt” that is to say “against his [possible] hurt.” This may be behind the very free rendering of Good News Translation, “for a time when they may need it.” Our view will be that the owner took every precaution not to lose his wealth; so we may translate as follows:

• Here is a terrible thing I observed: a rich man protecting his wealth against its loss …

• I saw something really painful that happens in this world. There was a man who was guarding his wealth against some misfortune.

Quoted with permission from Ogden, Graham S. and Zogbo, Lynell. A Handbook on the Book of Ecclesiates. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .