בִּרְבוֹת הַטּוֹבָה רַבּוּ אוֹכְלֶיהָ וּמַה כִּשְׁרוֹן לִבְעָלֶיהָ כִּי אִם רְאוּת עֵינָיו: מְתוּקָה שְׁנַת הָעֹבֵד אִם מְעַט וְאִם הַרְבֵּה יֹאכֵל וְהַשָּׂבָע לֶעָשִׁיר אֵינֶנּוּ מַנִּיחַ לוֹ לִישׁוֹן:
As one's substance increases, so do those who consume it; what, then, does the success of its owner amount to but feasting his eyes? A worker's sleep is sweet, whether she has much or little to eat; but the rich person's abundance doesn't let her sleep.
[JPS translation. Edited for gender-neutrality]
Suggested Discussion Questions:
1. What does it mean for an owner to "feast his eyes"?
2. Why does the worker sleep well whether or not they have a lot of food? Why does a rich person sleep differently?
3. What is this text suggesting about the nature of wealth? What about the nature of work?
Time Period: Biblical (early ancestors to 165 BCE)