וְאָבַ֛ד הָעֹ֥שֶׁר הַה֖וּא בְּעִנְיַ֣ן רָ֑ע וְהוֹלִ֣יד בֵּ֔ן וְאֵ֥ין בְּיָד֖וֹ מְאֽוּמָה׃
and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.
Rashi on Ecclesiastes
He will have nothing in his hand. Not even the merit of his ancestors.
Kohelet Rabbah
“That wealth is lost in a grievous manner; he begets a son, and he has nothing in his hand” (Ecclesiastes 5:13).
“That wealth is lost in a grievous manner” – Rabbi Ḥaggai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: [His wealth is lost] due to the grievous manner in which he thought about a certain pauper.73The reference is to the owner of the wealth mentioned in verse 12. He said to him: ‘Would it not be better for you to toil and eat? Look at your thighs, look at your feet, look at your girth; would it not be better for you to toil and eat?’ The Holy One blessed be He said: Is it not enough that you did not give him anything of what is yours, that you cast an evil eye on what I gave him? Therefore, “he begets a son, and he has nothing in his hand” – he will not leave, from the money in his possession, for his son.
“That wealth is lost in a grievous manner” – Rabbi Ḥaggai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: [His wealth is lost] due to the grievous manner in which he thought about a certain pauper.73The reference is to the owner of the wealth mentioned in verse 12. He said to him: ‘Would it not be better for you to toil and eat? Look at your thighs, look at your feet, look at your girth; would it not be better for you to toil and eat?’ The Holy One blessed be He said: Is it not enough that you did not give him anything of what is yours, that you cast an evil eye on what I gave him? Therefore, “he begets a son, and he has nothing in his hand” – he will not leave, from the money in his possession, for his son.