Ecclesiastes 5

1 Keep thy foot, when thou goest into the house of God, and draw nigh to hear. For much better is obedience, than the victims of fools, who know not what evil they do.

Guard thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be ready to hearken: it is better than when fools give sacrifices; for they know not that they do evil.

2 Speak not any thing rashly, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter a word before God. For God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

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

3 Dreams follow many cares: and in many words shall be found folly.

For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; and a fool's voice through a multitude of words.

4 If thou hast vowed any thing to God, defer not to pay it: for an unfaithful and foolish promise displeaseth him: but whatsoever thou hast vowed, pay it.

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

5 And it is much better not to vow, than after a vow not to perform the things promised.

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

6 Give not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin: and say not before the angel: There is no providence: lest God be angry at thy words, and destroy all the works of thy hands.

Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt, neither say thou before the messenger, that it was an error; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

7 Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities, and words without number: but do thou fear God.

For through the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but fear thou God.

8 If thou shalt see the oppressions of the poor, and violent judgments, and justice perverted in the province, wonder not at this matter: for he that is high hath another higher, and there are others still higher than these:

If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and the violent perverting of justice and righteousness in the state, marvel not at the matter; for one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they.

9 Moreover there is the king that reigneth over all the land subject to him.

But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field.

10 A covetous man shall not be satisfied with money: and he that loveth riches shall reap no fruit from them: so this also is vanity.

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

11 Where there are great riches, there are also many to eat them. And what doth it profit the owner, but that he seeth the riches with his eyes?

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

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

Sweet is the sleep of a labouring man, whether he eat little or much; but the satiety of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

13 There is also another grievous evil, which I have seen under the sun: riches kept to the hurt of the owner.

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

14 For they are lost with very great affliction: he hath begotten a son, who shall be in extremity of want.

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

15 As he came forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and shall take nothing away with him of his labour.

As he came forth of his mother's womb, naked shall he go back as he came, and shall take nothing for his labour, which he may carry away in his hand.

16 A most deplorable evil: as he came, so shall he return. What then doth it profit him that he hath laboured for the wind?

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

17 All the days of his life he eateth in darkness, and in many cares, and in misery, and sorrow.

All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much vexation and sickness and wrath.

18 This therefore hath seemed good to me, that a man should eat and drink, and enjoy the fruit of his labour, wherewith he hath laboured under the sun, all the days of his life, which God hath given him: and this is his portion.

Behold that which I have seen: it is good, yea, it is comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy pleasure for all his labour, wherein he laboureth under the sun, all the days of his life which God hath given him; for this is his portion.

19 And every man to whom God hath given riches, and substance, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to enjoy his portion, and to rejoice of his labour: this is the gift of God.

Every 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.

20 For he shall not much remember the days of his life, because God entertaineth his heart with delight,

For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart.