Ecclesiastes — Chapter 5

1Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

2Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.

3As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.

4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.

5It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.

6Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?

7For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.

8If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.

9The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.

10He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.

11When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes?

12The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.

13There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,

14or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.

15As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands.

16This too is a grievous affliction: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?

17Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.

18Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot.

19Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God.

20For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.

1Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.

2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.

4When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

5Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God.

8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

12The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

13There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

14But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.

15As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

16And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?

17All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much sorrow and wrath with his sickness.

18Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labour that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion.

19Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

20For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth him in the joy of his heart.

1Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God; for to draw nigh to hear is better than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they know not that they do evil.

2Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

3For a dream cometh with a multitude of business, and a fool`s voice with a multitude of words.

4When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou vowest.

5Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

6Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that is was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

7For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, and in many words: but fear thou God.

8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a province, marvel not at the matter: for one higher than the high regardeth; and there are higher than they.

9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king [himself] is served by the field.

10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage is there to the owner thereof, save the beholding [of them] with his eyes?

12The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much; but the fulness of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, [namely], riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt:

14and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.

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.

16And this also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that he laboreth for the wind?

17All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he is sore vexed, and hath sickness and wrath.

18Behold, that which I have seen to be good and to be comely is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, wherein he laboreth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him: for this is his portion.

19Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor-this is the gift of God.

20For he shall not much remember the days of his life; because God answereth [him] in the joy of his heart.

1(4:17) Be careful what you do when you go to the temple of God; draw near to listen rather than to offer a sacrifice like fools, for they do not realize that they are doing wrong.

2(5:1) Do not be rash with your mouth or hasty in your heart to bring up a matter before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth! Therefore, let your words be few.

3Just as dreams come when there are many cares, so the rash vow of a fool occurs when there are many words.

4When you make a vow to God, do not delay in paying it. For God takes no pleasure in fools: Pay what you vow!

5It is better for you not to vow than to vow and not pay it.

6Do not let your mouth cause you to sin, and do not tell the priest, “It was a mistake!” Why make God angry at you so that he would destroy the work of your hands?

7Just as there is futility in many dreams, so also in many words. Therefore, fear God.

8If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!

9The produce of the land is seized by all of them, even the king is served by the fields.

10The one who loves money will never be satisfied with money; he who loves wealth will never be satisfied with his income. This also is futile.

11When someone’s prosperity increases, those who consume it also increase; so what does its owner gain, except that he gets to see it with his eyes?

12The sleep of the laborer is pleasant—whether he eats little or much— but the wealth of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

13Here is a misfortune on earth that I have seen: Wealth hoarded by its owner to his own misery.

14Then that wealth was lost through bad luck; although he fathered a son, he has nothing left to give him.

15Just as he came forth from his mother’s womb, naked will he return as he came, and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil.

16This is another misfortune: Just as he came, so will he go. What did he gain from toiling for the wind?

17Surely, he ate in darkness every day of his life, and he suffered greatly with sickness and anger.

18I have seen personally what is the only beneficial and appropriate course of action for people: to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in all their hard work on earth during the few days of their life that God has given them, for this is their reward.

19To every man whom God has given wealth and possessions, he has also given him the ability to eat from them, to receive his reward, and to find enjoyment in his toil; these things are the gift of God.

20For he does not think much about the fleeting days of his life because God keeps him preoccupied with the joy he derives from his activity.

1Guard your steps when you go to God’s house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don’t know that they do evil.

2Don’t be rash with your mouth, and don’t let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

3For as a dream comes with a multitude of cares, so a fool’s speech with a multitude of words.

4When you vow a vow to God, don’t defer to pay it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay that which you vow.

5It is better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.

6Don’t allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don’t protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?

7For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words: but you must fear God.

8If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter: for one official is eyed by a higher one; and there are officials over them.

9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all. The king profits from the field.

10He who loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase: this also is vanity.

11When goods increase, those who eat them are increased; and what advantage is there to its owner, except to feast on them with his eyes?

12The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not allow him to sleep.

13There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept by its owner to his harm.

14Those riches perish by misfortune, and if he has fathered a son, there is nothing in his hand.

15As he came out of 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.

16This also is a grievous evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit does he have who labors for the wind?

17All his days he also eats in darkness, he is frustrated, and has sickness and wrath.

18Behold, that which I have seen to be good and proper is for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy good in all his labor, in which he labors under the sun, all the days of his life which God has given him; for this is his portion.

19Every man also to whom God has given riches and wealth, and has given him power to eat of it, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

20For he shall not often reflect on the days of his life; because God occupies him with the joy of his heart.