Ecclesiastes 5
1 Keep your feet when you go to a house of God, and draw near to hear rather than to give of fools the sacrifice, for they do not know they do evil.
Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.
2 Do not cause your mouth to hurry, and do not let your heart hurry to bring out a word before God, for God is in the heavens, and you on the earth, therefore let your words be few.
Do not be quick to speak, and do not be hasty in your heart to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven and you are on earth. So let your words be few.
3 For the dream has come by abundance of business, and the voice of a fool by abundance of words.
As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay to complete it, for there is no pleasure in fools; that which you vow—complete.
When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it, because He takes no pleasure in fools. Fulfill your vow.
5 Better that you do not vow, than that you vow and do not complete.
It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
6 Do not permit your mouth to cause your flesh to sin, nor say before the messenger that it [is] ignorance. Why is God angry because of your voice and has destroyed the work of your hands?
Do not let your mouth cause your flesh to sin, and do not tell the messenger that your vow was a mistake. Why should God be angry with your words and destroy the work of your hands?
7 For in the abundance of dreams both vanities and words abound; but fear God.
For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
8 If oppression of the poor, and violent taking away of judgment and righteousness you see in a province, do not marvel at the matter, for a higher than the high is observing, and high ones [are] over them.
If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.
9 And the abundance of a land is for all. A king for a field is served.
The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
10 Whoever is loving silver is not satisfied [with] silver, nor he who is in love with stores [with] increase. Even this [is] vanity.
He who loves money is never satisfied by money, and he who loves wealth is never satisfied by income. This too is futile.
11 In the multiplying of good have its consumers been multiplied, and what benefit [is] to its possessor except the sight of his eyes?
When good things increase, so do those who consume them; what then is the profit to the owner, except to behold them with his eyes?
12 Sweet [is] the sleep of the laborer whether he eat little or much; and the sufficiency of the wealthy is not permitting him to sleep.
The sleep of the worker is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of the rich man permits him no sleep.
13 There is a painful evil I have seen under the sun: wealth kept for its possessor, for his evil.
There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
14 And that wealth has been lost in an evil business, and he has begotten a son and there is nothing in his hand!
or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.
15 As he came out from the belly of his mother, naked he turns back to go as he came, and he does not take away anything of his labor, that goes in his hand.
As a man came from his mother’s womb, so he will depart again, naked as he arrived. He takes nothing for his labor to carry in his hands.
16 And this also [is] a painful evil, just as he came, so he goes, and what advantage [is] to him who labors for wind?
This too is a grievous evil: Exactly as a man is born, so he will depart. What does he gain as he toils for the wind?
17 He also consumes all his days in darkness, and sadness, and wrath, and sickness abound.
Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.
18 Behold, that which I have seen: [It is] good, because beautiful, to eat, and to drink, and to see good in all one’s labor that he labors at under the sun, the number of the days of his life that God has given to him, for it [is] his portion.
Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in all the labor one does under the sun during the few days of life that God has given him—for this is his lot.
19 Every man also to whom God has given wealth and riches, and has given him power to eat of it, and to accept his portion, and to rejoice in his labor, this is a gift of God.
Furthermore, God has given riches and wealth to every man, and He has enabled him to enjoy them, to accept his lot, and to rejoice in his labor. This is a gift from God.
20 For he does not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart.
For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
