Ecclesiastes 5
1 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.
Keep your foot, whenever you go to the house of God; and [when you are] near to hear, let your sacrifice [be] better than the gift of fools: for they know not that they are doing evil.
2 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.
Be not hasty with your mouth, and let not your heart be swift to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven above, and you upon earth: therefore let your words be few.
3 For a dream cometh through a multitude of business; and a fool's voice through a multitude of words.
For through the multitude of trial a dream comes; and a fool's voice is with a multitude of words.
4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath no pleasure in fools; pay that which thou vowest.
Whenever you shall vow a vow to God, defer not to pay it; for [he has] no pleasure in fools: pay you therefore whatever you shall have vowed.
5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
[It is] better that you should not vow, than that you should vow and not pay.
6 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?
Suffer not your mouth to lead your flesh to sin; and say not in the presence of God, It was an error: lest God be angry at your voice, and destroy the works of your hands.
7 For through the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but fear thou God.
For [there is evil] in a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words: but fear you God.
8 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.
If you should see the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of judgement and of justice in the land, wonder not at the matter: for [there is] a high one to watch over him that is high, and high ones over them.
9 But the profit of a land every way is a king that maketh himself servant to the field.
Also the abundance of the earth is for every one: the king [is dependent on] the tilled field.
10 He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance, with increase; this also is vanity.
He that loves silver shall not be satisfied with silver: and who has loved gain, in the abundance thereof? this is also vanity.
11 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?
In the multitude of good they are increased that eat it: and what virtue has the owner, but the right of beholding [it] with his eyes?
12 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.
The sleep of a servant is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but to one who is satiated with wealth, there is none that suffers him to sleep.
13 There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt;
There is an infirmity which I have seen under the sun, [namely], wealth kept for its owner to his hurt.
14 and those riches perish by evil adventure; and if he hath begotten a son, there is nothing in his hand.
And that wealth shall perish in an evil trouble: and [the man] begets a son, and there is nothing in his hand.
15 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.
As he came forth naked from his mother's womb, he shall return back as he came, and he shall receive nothing for his labour, that it should go [with him] in his hand.
16 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?
And this is also an evil infirmity: for as he came, so also shall he return: and what is his gain, for which he vainly labours?
17 All his days also he eateth in darkness, and he hath much vexation and sickness and wrath.
Yes, all his days are in darkness, and in mourning, and much sorrow, and infirmity, and wrath.
18 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.
Behold, I have seen good, that it is a fine thing [for a man] to eat and to drink, and to see good in all his labour in which he may labour under the sun, [all] the number of the days of his life which God has given to him: for it is his portion.
19 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.
Yes, and [as for] every man to whom God has given wealth and possessions, and has given him power to eat thereof, and to receive his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
20 For let him remember the days of his life that they are not many; for God answereth him in the joy of his heart.
For he shall not much remember the days of his life; for God troubles him in the mirth of his heart.
