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.

Watch thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be near to hearken [to his will], more than to give the sacrifice of fools; for they consider not that they do evil [to themselves].

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.

Suffer not thy mouth to be rash, and let thy heart not be hasty to utter any word before God; for God is in the heavens, and thou art upon the 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 being much employed [with something], and the voice of a fool cometh with a 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 makest a vow unto God, do not delay to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in such fools: that which thou hast vowed must thou pay.

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

It is better that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst 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 body to sin; and say thou not before the messenger, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry because of thy voice, and destroy the work of thy 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 vanities there are also many words; but rather 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 see the oppression of the poor, and violence done to justice and righteousness in a province, do not feel astounded at the matter; for one that is high watcheth over the high; and over them, the highest Power.

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

But the advantage of a land in all things is, a king who is subject to the country.

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 money will never be satisfied with money; nor he that loveth abundance, with any increase. Also this is 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 prosperity increaseth, those that consume it [likewise] increase: and what advantage is there to its owner, saving to see [it] with his 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.

Sweet is the sleep of the laboring man, whether he eat little or much; but the overabundance 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 reserved for their owner to his own hurt.

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

And these riches are lost through an unfortunate event; and he begetteth a son, and hath not the least 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 out of his mother's womb, naked will he return to go as he came; and not the least will he carry off for his toil, which he might take away with him.

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 also this is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so must he go: and what profit hath he that hath toiled 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 had he to eat in darkness, and hath had much vexation 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, what I have truly seen as a good thing, that it is fitting to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all one's toil that he taketh under the sun the number of the days of his life, which God hath given him; for this 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.

Also every man to whom God hath given riches and property, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his toil— 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.

Let him then remember, that the days of his life are not many, that God hath answered him with the joy of his heart.