Ecclesiastes 5

1 Take heede to thy foote when thou entrest into the House of God, and be more neere to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles: for they knowe not that they doe euil.

KEEP 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.

2 Be not rash with thy mouth, nor let thine heart be hastie to vtter a thing before God: for God is in the heauens, and thou art on the earth: therefore let thy wordes be fewe.

Be 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.

3 For as a dreame commeth by the multitude of businesse: so the voyce of a foole is in the multitude of wordes.

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

4 When thou hast vowed a vowe to God, deferre not to pay it: for he deliteth not in fooles: pay therefore that thou hast vowed.

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

5 It is better that thou shouldest not vowe, then that thou shouldest vow and not pay it.

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

6 Suffer not thy mouth to make thy flesh to sinne: neither say before the Angel, that this is ignorance: wherefore shall God bee angry by thy voyce, and destroy the worke of thine hands?

Suffer 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?

7 For in the multitude of dreames, and vanities are also many wordes: but feare thou God.

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

8 If in a countrey thou seest the oppression of the poore, and the defrauding of iudgement and iustice, be not astonied at the matter: for hee that is higher then the highest, regardeth, and there be higher then they.

If 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.

9 And the abundance of the earth is ouer all: the King also consisteth by the fielde that is tilled.

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

10 He that loueth siluer, shall not be satisfied with siluer, and he that loueth riches, shalbe without the fruite thereof: this also is vanitie.

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

11 When goods increase, they are increased that eate them: and what good commeth to the owners thereof, but the beholding thereof with their eyes?

When 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?

12 The sleepe of him that traueileth, is sweete, whether he eate litle or much: but the sacietie of the riche will not suffer him to sleepe.

The 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.

13 There is an euill sickenes that I haue seene vnder the sunne: to wit, riches reserued to the owners thereof for their euill.

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

14 And these riches perish by euill trauel, and he begetteth a sonne, and in his hand is nothing.

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

15 As hee came foorth of his mothers belly, he shall returne naked to goe as he came, and shall beare away nothing of his labour, which hee hath caused to passe by his hand.

As 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.

16 And this also is an euill sickenes that in all pointes as he came, so shall he goe, and what profit hath he that he hath traueiled for the winde?

And 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?

17 Also all his dayes hee eateth in darkenes with much griefe, and in his sorowe and anger.

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

18 Beholde then, what I haue seene good, that it is comely to eate, and to drinke, and to take pleasure in all his labour, wherein he traueileth vnder the sunne, the whole nomber of the dayes of his life, which God giueth him: for this is his portion.

Behold 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.

19 Also to euery man to whom God hath giuen riches and treasures, and giueth him power to eate thereof, and to take his part, and to enioy 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 Surely hee will not much remember the dayes of his life, because God answereth to the ioy of his heart.

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