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 foot, when you step into the house of God, and draw near, so that you may listen. For obedience is much better than the sacrifices of the foolish, who do not know the evil that they are doing.
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.
You should not speak anything rashly, nor should your heart be hasty to present a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth. For this reason, 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.
Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found.
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.
If you have vowed anything to God, you should not delay to repay it. And whatever you have vowed, render it. But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him.
5 Better that you do not vow, than that you vow and do not complete.
And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.
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?
You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin. And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel, “There is no Providence.” For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands.
7 For in the abundance of dreams both vanities and words abound; but fear God.
Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must 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 false accusations against the indigent, and violent judgments, and subverted justice in the government, do not be surprised over this situation. For those in high places have others who are higher, and there are still others, more eminent, over these.
9 And the abundance of a land is for all. A king for a field is served.
But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.
10 Whoever is loving silver is not satisfied [with] silver, nor he who is in love with stores [with] increase. Even this [is] vanity.
A greedy man will not be satisfied by money. And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore, this, too, is emptiness.
11 In the multiplying of good have its consumers been multiplied, and what benefit [is] to its possessor except the sight of his eyes?
Where there are many riches, there will also be many to consume these things. And how does it benefit the one who possesses, except that he discerns the wealth with his own 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.
Sleep is sweet to one who works, whether he consumes little or much. But the satiation of a wealthy man will not permit him to sleep.
13 There is a painful evil I have seen under the sun: wealth kept for its possessor, for his evil.
There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the 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!
For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.
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.
Just as he went forth naked from his mother’s womb, so shall he return, and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.
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?
It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived, so shall he return. How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind?
17 He also consumes all his days in darkness, and sadness, and wrath, and sickness abound.
All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.
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.
And so, this has seemed good to me: that a person should eat and drink, and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun, for the number of the days of his life that God has given him. For this is his portion.
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.
And this is a gift from God: that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources, and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these, may enjoy his portion, and may find joy in his labors.
20 For he does not much remember the days of his life, for God is answering through the joy of his heart.
And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.
