Ecclesiastes 5:15As he came forth from his mother's womb, naked shall he go again as he came, and shall take nothing for his labor, which he may carry away in his hand.
The setting
Jerusalem, ~950 BC. King Solomon in his palace, surrounded by unimaginable wealth, reflecting on mortality. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: wealthy but haunted by mortality
The original word
arum (עָרוֹם) — naked, exposed, utterly defenseless without possessions
Why it matters
Solomon controlled trade routes worth billions in today's money, yet wrote this
Read with care
What most readers miss in Ecclesiastes 5:15
This isn't philosophy - it's the richest man in history realizing wealth is meaningless
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about being anti-materialistic, but Solomon isn't condemning wealth - he's processing the terror of death making everything meaningless.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Ecclesiastes 5:15
Bible Genome reading
Ecclesiastes 5:15 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Ecclesiastes 5:15 comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include mortality, futility. Notable phrases: naked came; naked go; take nothing.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Ecclesiastes 5:15 mean to you, today?
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