A common misinterpretation of Ecclesiastes 5:9 is to view it as a call for egalitarian wealth distribution or socialism, suggesting 'the profit of the earth is for all' implies equal sharing, whereas it actually explains the persistence of corruption and oppression in a hierarchical system where everyone, from the oppressed to the king, derives benefit from the land's yield, discouraging surprise at injustice rather than advocating reform.
Ecclesiastes 5:9
King James Version (1769)
9 Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.
Ecclesiastes 5:9 reveals the core truth that the produce of the earth benefits everyone in society, including the king who depends on the fields for his sustenance, illustrating a fundamental interdependence where even the highest ruler relies on the common labor and agricultural output, which contextualizes the preceding verses on injustice by showing how self-interest perpetuates oppression as all levels profit from the status quo under the sun.