Ecclesiastes 5
1 Keep thy foot, when thou goest unto the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than dullards to offer sacrifice, —for they make no acknowledgment of doing wrong.
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 Be not rash with thy mouth, and, with thy heart, be not in haste to bring forth a word, before God, —for, God, is in the heavens, and, thou, upon the earth, for this cause, let thy 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 a dream cometh through the multitude of business, —and, the voice of a dullard, is with a multitude of words.
As a dream comes through many cares, so the speech of a fool comes with many words.
4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, do not defer to pay it, for there is no pleasure in dullards, —what thou vowest, pay!
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 thou shouldest not vow, —than vow, and not pay.
It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.
6 Do not let thy mouth cause thy flesh to sin, —neither say thou, before the messenger, that it was, a mistake, —wherefore should God be indignant at thy voice, and destroy the work of thy 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 [it was done] amidst a multitude of dreams, and vanities, and many words, —but, towards God, be thou reverent.
For as many dreams bring futility, so do many words. Therefore, fear God.
8 If, the oppression of the poor, and the wresting of justice and righteousness, thou see in the province, do not be astonished over the matter, —for, one high above the highest, is watching, yea, the Most High, is 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 profit of the earth, is, for all, —a king, by the field, is served.
The produce of the earth is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.
10 He that loveth silver, shall not be satisfied with silver nor, he that loveth abundance, with revenue, —even this, was 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 When blessings are increased, increased are the eaters thereof, —what profit, then, to the owner of them saving 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 the sleep of the labourer, whether, little or much, he eat, —but, the surfeit of the rich man, will not suffer 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 Here was an incurable evil, I had seen under the sun, riches kept by the owner thereof, to his hurt;
There is a grievous evil I have seen under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
14 and those riches perish, by being ill employed, —and though he begetteth a son, yet is there in his hand nothing at all.
or wealth lost in a failed venture, so when that man has a son there is nothing to pass on.
15 As he came from his mother’s womb, naked, he again departeth, as he came, —and, nothing, can he take of his toil, which he can carry 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 Even this, moreover, is an incurable evil, altogether as he came, so, shall he depart, —what profit then shall he have who toileth for the 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 Even all his days, [are spent] in darkness and mourning, —and he is very morose, and is sad and angry.
Moreover, all his days he eats in darkness, with much sorrow, sickness, and anger.
18 Lo! what, I myself, have seen—Better that it should be excellent to eat and to drink and to see blessedness, in all one’s toil wherein one toileth under the sun, for the number of the days of his life, in that God hath given it him, for, that, 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 yet, as regardeth every man, to whom God hath given wealth and goods, and granted him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to find gladness in his toil, this, is, the 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 Though it be not much, let him remember the days of his life, —for, God, beareth witness, by the gladness of his heart.
For a man seldom considers the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the joy of his heart.
