Ecclesiastes 5
1 Be careful when you go into God's house. It's better to listen and respond rather than offer meaningless sacrifices. People who do that don't even know they are doing wrong.
custodi pedem tuum ingrediens domum Dei multo enim melior est oboedientia quam stultorum victimae qui nesciunt quid faciant mali
2 Don't say rash things, and think before you speak to God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth, so keep it short.
ne temere quid loquaris neque cor tuum sit velox ad proferendum sermonem coram Deo Deus enim in caelo et tu super terram idcirco sint pauci sermones tui
3 When you worry too much, you get nightmares; when you talk too much, you say foolish things.
multas curas sequuntur somnia et in multis sermonibus invenitur stultitia
4 When you make a vow to God, with a curse on you if you don't keep it, don't be slow in keeping it, for he is not happy with foolish behavior. So do what you promised!
si quid vovisti Deo ne moreris reddere displicet enim ei infidelis et stulta promissio sed quodcumque voveris redde
5 Better not to make any vows at all than to make vow you don't keep.
multoque melius est non vovere quam post votum promissa non conplere
6 Don't let your mouth cause you to sin. And don't tell the priest that your vow was a mistake, for why would you antagonize God by breaking your promise? He could bring your own curse down on you.
ne dederis os tuum ut peccare faciat carnem tuam neque dicas coram angelo non est providentia ne forte iratus Deus super sermone tuo dissipet cuncta opera manuum tuarum
7 There are certainly many dreams, questions of meaning, and lots of different ideas, but you are to follow God.
ubi multa sunt somnia plurimae vanitates et sermones innumeri tu vero Deum time
8 If you see poor people somewhere being oppressed, or truth and justice violated, don't be shocked at it, for every official is responsible to others higher up, and there are officials over them as well.
si videris calumnias egenorum et violenta iudicia et subverti iustitiam in provincia non mireris super hoc negotio quia excelso alius excelsior est et super hos quoque eminentiores sunt alii
9 However, what the land produces is for everyone—even the king benefits from what is grown.
et insuper universae terrae rex imperat servienti
10 People who love money never have enough money; those who love wealth never have enough income. This too is so temporary and makes little sense.
avarus non implebitur pecunia et qui amat divitias fructus non capiet ex eis et hoc ergo vanitas
11 The more you earn, the more you have eating into your income. It only looks like you have more!
ubi multae sunt opes multi et qui comedant eas et quid prodest possessori nisi quod cernit divitias oculis suis
12 Those who work hard sleep well, whether they have a little to eat or plenty, but the rich own so much they don't get any rest.
dulcis est somnus operanti sive parum sive multum comedat saturitas autem divitis non sinit dormire eum
13 I observed something here that is really sickening: people who hoard money damage themselves.
est et alia infirmitas pessima quam vidi sub sole divitiae conservatae in malum domini sui
14 They put their money into bad investments and lose everything. Now when we're born, we don't bring anything into the world.
pereunt enim in adflictione pessima generavit filium qui in summa egestate erit
15 When we die, we leave just as naked as when we were born, taking nothing with us from all we've worked for.
sicut egressus est nudus de utero matris suae sic revertetur et nihil auferet secum de labore suo
16 This also makes me sick! What do people gain, working for the wind?
miserabilis prorsus infirmitas quomodo venit sic revertetur quid ergo prodest ei quod laboravit in ventum
17 They live their lives in darkness, very frustrated, sick, and resentful.
cunctis diebus vitae suae comedit in tenebris et in curis multis et in aerumna atque tristitia
18 But I observed that what is good and right is to eat, drink, and to find enjoyment in the work God gives us here in this life. This is God's gift to us.
hoc itaque mihi visum est bonum ut comedat quis et bibat et fruatur laetitia ex labore suo quod laboravit ipse sub sole numerum dierum vitae suae quos dedit ei Deus et haec est pars illius
19 In addition, everyone to whom God gives wealth and possessions he also gives the ability to enjoy these gifts, to be grateful for what they are given, and to enjoy the work they do. This is also God's gift to us.
et omni homini cui dedit Deus divitias atque substantiam potestatemque ei tribuit ut comedat ex eis et fruatur parte sua et laetetur de labore suo hoc est donum Dei
20 In fact such people have little time to think about life because God keeps them busy with all that makes them happy.
non enim satis recordabitur dierum vitae suae eo quod Deus occupet deliciis cor eius
