Ecclesiastes 5
1 Guard 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.
Guard your foot, when you step into the house of God, and draw near, so that you may listen. For obedience is much better than the sacrifices of the foolish, who do not know the evil that they are doing.
2 Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
You should not speak anything rashly, nor should your heart be hasty to present a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth. For this reason, let your words be few.
3 As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found.
4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.
If you have vowed anything to God, you should not delay to repay it. And whatever you have vowed, render it. But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him.
5 It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.
6 Do 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?
You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin. And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel, “There is no Providence.” For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands.
7 For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must fear God.
8 If 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.
If you see false accusations against the indigent, and violent judgments, and subverted justice in the government, do not be surprised over this situation. For those in high places have others who are higher, and there are still others, more eminent, over these.
9 The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.
10 He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.
A greedy man will not be satisfied by money. And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore, this, too, is emptiness.
11 When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes?
Where there are many riches, there will also be many to consume these things. And how does it benefit the one who possesses, except that he discerns the wealth with his own eyes?
12 The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.
Sleep is sweet to one who works, whether he consumes little or much. But the satiation of a wealthy man will not permit him to sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the owner.
14 or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.
For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.
15 As 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.
Just as he went forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.
16 This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?
It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived, so shall he return. How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind?
17 Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.
All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.
18 Here 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.
And so, this has seemed good to me: that a person should eat and drink, and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun, for the number of the days of his life that God has given him. For this is his portion.
19 Furthermore, 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.
And this is a gift from God: that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources, and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these, may enjoy his portion, and may find joy in his labors.
20 For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.
