⁶ You have planted much, but harvested little.^(A) You eat, but never have enough.^(B) You drink, but never have your fill.^(C) You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages,^(D) only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

⁹ “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little.^(A) What you brought home, I blew^(B) away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin,^(C) while each of you is busy with your own house.

¹⁰ Before that time there were no wages^(A) for people or hire for animals. No one could go about their business safely^(B) because of their enemies, since I had turned everyone against their neighbor.